The Lonely
by CeceVolume
Summary: AU. Caroline is a young vampire, learning to survive in this new life since being abandoned by her creator. Invited to a ball for the supernatural, she is surprised when she gets the attentions of The Hybrid.
1. Monster

_My first full Klaroline story! Hope you all enjoy.  
_Note:_ The chapter titles are the songs that inspired the chapter._

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Vampire Diaries.

Chapter One

_Monster, how should I feel?  
Creatures lie here, looking through the window._

Caroline Forbes took a deep breath, standing in the middle of a giant ballroom. Her dark blue ball gown made her feel like Cinderella—minus the poofy sleeves—as she gingerly lifted it, moving towards the bar. As she strode with false confidence, she felt her hastily-thrown-into-a-bun hair threatening to fall out of its precarious hold. Grabbing a flute of champagne, she tore her hair out of its hold, letting the curls fall to her shoulders haphazardly. Was she supposed to be so nervous for some stupid supernatural ball?

After her vampire parent—the woman that had changed her—ditched her in her home town of Mystic Falls, Caroline had been working to find out how to be a vampire without going crazy. Somehow, she'd ended up in England, using powers she didn't know she had. Then, as if they knew that she was there, she received an invitation to the Annual Mikaelson Supernatural Ball.

Whatever the hell that was.

But she was determined to find someone that could help her learn about her new nature, help her control the urge to suck a human dry just because they had nicked themselves shaving the morning before.

Glancing down at her hand, she stared at the ring that gave her the ability to walk around in the sunlight, the only gift from her absentee creator she'd received. It was a little tacky and large, but the lapis lazuli shone beautifully in any light, flickering with something akin to the magic it held.

"Excuse me, everyone, but it seems the last of the guests have arrived, so we will commence with the ball."

Caroline's head shot up at the voice. Slow, controlled, and casually accented like most British royalty. The owner had short, well-styled brown hair and a perfectly coiffed tux. Knowledgeable hazel eyes scanned the crowd, catching hers for a brief moment before passing over. He was handsome, she determined, but cold. Probably not the best person to go to for advice on being a vampire. She didn't know how long she could be around such an old-fashioned man without wanting to pull her hair out.

Next to him was another man, much younger, that looked almost exactly like the other, though his eyes held a flash of mischief. His bow-tie had been undone, making him look rakish. His eyes went through the crowd, checking out all the ladies, even doing so to her. A lopsided smirk met her annoyed gaze when he saw that she had caught him in the act.

Rolling her eyes, she looked at another of the men. He seemed bored, his longish hair parted and laying flat. Because of his disinterest, she wondered if maybe she should go to him.

"You know, it isn't polite to stare."

Caroline spun on her heel, catching knowing blue eyes. Before her stood a beautiful blonde, dressed in a gorgeous empire-waist green gown. There was a slit to show a long, pale leg and her make up was done perfectly. She was looking Caroline up and down, judging her.

"I'm sorry," Caroline said quickly. "I've never been here before."

"I know. I would recognize you if you had." The other woman leaned forward, just barely moving into Caroline's space. "You are quite young to be here alone. Who are you here with?"

Caroline glanced down at her feet, feeling uncomfortable. "I am here alone. I received an invitation, so I came, hoping to get some help with the transition between human life and...vampire life." She looked back up to the other woman, taking a deep breath for strength before sticking out her hand. "My name is Caroline Forbes; I guess I should have said that before."

Smiling, the other woman took her hand, saying, "Hello, Caroline Forbes. I am Rebekah Mikaelson, the youngest of the Original vampires. Do you know what we usually do with baby vampires that have no sire with them, especially within the first year?" Rebekah dropped her hand, suddenly completely calm. "We tear their heart out. They are a liability that our race cannot allow to run amok."

Caroline gasped, taking a step back. She was going to die. That much was clear in the Original's eyes. She'd be dragged off somewhere, her heart torn from her chest before she'd had a chance to really _live_. Hell, she was barely twenty-one! Wasn't there supposed to be more life now? Eternity to find out who she was?

Deciding she was going to try to run—though she knew that older vampires would easily outrun her—she turned on her heel in a flash, running head on into a solid chest.

"Whoa there, sweetheart. Where's the fire?"

She looked up, finding a face that mildly resembled that of the man who had spoken and Rebekah's. Rusty-brown hair was styled just enough to pass off as trying, though she doubted he had. Dark blue eyes held a mysterious vibe, the smile on his face not quite reaching them. He stood just a few inches taller than she did in her heels, arms strong and well-muscled.

"I..." Where the hell had her voice gone? As a human, Caroline had never been at a loss for words. Now, as a vampire, she wasn't sure of who she was, what to say. She didn't know anything about this world and she was pretty sure she wasn't going to live to learn anymore about it.

"Niklaus, she came here without a sire. She can't be more than a year old. You know our policy on vampires that are left so soon after they change. We can't have her making the humans aware of our existence." Rebekah's voice was surprisingly bored when talking about someone's life.

Caroline glanced between the two of them, wishing she could take a step back, disappear into the shadows without them noticing. But, somehow, the man's hand had found its way to the small of her back, subtly bringing her closer to him.

His smile was all teeth, fierce fangs flashing. "Then I'll take care of her."

Both women stared at him in shock, though Caroline's eyes held a little more fear. He was going to _take care_ of her? He didn't even know her!

Rebekah glared at the other blonde, snarling, "Fine. But if she steps out of line, brother, I will kill her myself." She disappeared into the crowd, leaving Caroline in a little frightened of what would happen with this new man.

Glancing over at him, she tried to be discreet, but he was watching her closely, as if knowing her worry. "You have nothing to fear, love," he said, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips. "I won't let anything happen to you." He stood once more, leading her to the dance floor. "My name is Niklaus Mikaelson, but you may call me Klaus. It's a pleasure to meet you." There was that toothy smile again.

"Caroline," she murmured, allowing him to dance with her.

Perhaps this trip to Europe wasn't such a bad thing. She could learn about what she was and maybe make some friends in high places.

_These chapters will be much shorter than my other stories. I hope you all liked it!_


	2. Between You and I

_I just want to thank everyone that reviewed/alerted/favorited this story! I hope that it's all that you hoped it would be. (:_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Vampire Diaries.

Chapter Two

_Maybe it was wrong of me to think I could keep you,  
and maybe it's the last few drinks._

"May I ask what brings a lone baby vampire into our midst? Surely you knew of the danger it posed to your well-being," Klaus said with a tilt of his head as they danced. It was a slow waltz, the music overhead echoing through the room as a pleasant background song. "Whoever made you a vampire should have known better."

Caroline blinked, wondering if she should have known more about this. Of course, there was a good explanation for her not knowing; her creator had ditched her right after feeding her the first human she'd ever gorged on. "Actually, I don't know who did it. I was in an accident, they fed me their blood, killed me, then offered me a snack. When I looked up, they were gone."

His brow furrowed at this, blue eyes flashing with confusion. "They left you? May I ask if it was a man or woman?"

She shrugged, not liking the line of questions. "It was a woman. I don't really remember much about her, but I really wasn't that focused on her to begin with." Looking away from him, she caught sight of the Originals, still standing on the staircase. "Can I ask why your family is called 'the Originals'?" Anything to take the subject off herself.

Chuckling lightly, he answered, "Of course. It's because they are the original vampires. Every vampire can trace their lineage back to one of them."

Her eyes swung back to his face. "What do you mean? Aren't you one of them?"

"Sweetheart, I'm the Original Hybrid. Seems Mummy Dearest had an affair with a werewolf to create me. When she changed us into vampires, I became the only Hybrid."

She froze immediately. If there was one thing that she had learned in her short life, it was the deadliness of a werewolf bite. She'd seen several vampires throughout the city already, going mad from the dementia a single nick of a werewolf's teeth could cause.

Smiling, he murmured in her ear, "Oh, love, you have nothing to worry about. If I wanted to bite you, I wouldn't have taken responsibility for you when Rebekah was about to kill you." His words were so easy. Did the Originals really think so little of killing? All vampires were murderers, she knew, but not everyone could be so nonchalant about killing, could they? If so, she definitely wasn't going to fit in any more as a vampire than she had as a human in high school.

"Why?" she demanded, gaining some of her previous fire. "Why do I have to die because some vampire changed me against my will and ditched me?"

He was obviously taken aback for a brief moment, as if he couldn't imagine her ever speaking to him as an equal. "Feisty, aren't we?" he laughed, a genuine smile breaking across his face. It quickly vanished, replaced by a seriousness she wouldn't have imagined a few moments earlier. "Young vampires are notorious for being...conspicuous. There is an unspoken law within the vampire community that says you will _not_ turn someone and then 'ditch' them, as you call it. They will teach you control over the new changes in your body that you don't understand."

Under her breath, she mumbled, "Sounds like puberty."

His laughter was loud, shocking not only her but those around them. They looked at her like she was some mysterious creature they had never seen before and she could hear a few whispering, "She got Lord Niklaus to laugh. I don't know whether to be afraid for her life or grateful for her presence." Was he really such a terrifying man?

"Ah, I knew there was a reason I was drawn to you. Other than boredom mixing with alcohol," he added with a charming grin.

"That's another of my questions," she said immediately, feeling a little more comfortable with him. "I want to know why you saved me if your 'law' tells you to kill me because I could cause problems." She noted that the music changed to a slower dance, no longer meant for a waltz, but for close dancing. Pulling away slightly, she was surprised when he pulled her closer, wrapping her arms around his neck as his went around her waist.

He was staring down into her eyes, that smile twinkling across his mouth. "I saw that you were lost, love. I knew that you needed help. And, as I said, I was drawn to you the moment you walked in the door. I watched those first hesitant steps and decided to go after you if you walked out like you were originally planning to."

"How did you—"

"Love, I've lived more than a thousand years. I know how to read people." He moved with the music perfectly, drawing her after him as she found them making their way to a darkened space in the ballroom. It was as if he were trying to lead her into the hallway, away from all the others. His head leaning closer, Klaus said quietly, as if to himself, "You smell wonderful."

Blushing brightly, she sputtered, "Wh-what are you saying? Why are you sniffing me?"

He chuckled softly, watching her with those strange blue-green eyes. "Oh, Caroline," he breathed. How was it that it sounded like magic coming from him? There was something oddly beautiful about the way he said her name, his British lilt sending a shiver up her spine that she knew he noticed. "How could I resist something so...mesmerizing?"

Her blush brightened at his words, but she lifted her head, not allowing his words to get to her. She was Caroline Forbes, damnit; she didn't _blush_.

His movements towards that hallway didn't pause; instead, they quickened. Her heart skipped a beat in her chest, making her falter just a bit. She knew she was being drawn in by his smile, a smile that made it seem like he was actually _interested_ in her. She couldn't remember the last time anyone was interested in her; since she'd become a vampire, it was as if they could sense that she was dangerous.

But Klaus was watching her face like he couldn't take his eyes off her. His hands brought her ever closer until their bodies were brushing at the hips. She tried to move away, afraid of what this could mean. But he kept her close, easily overpowering her.

"Come on, love. Take a chance. Get to know me." He leaned down to murmur in her ear, "I dare you."

It was like he knew exactly what button to push with her, exactly what to say to get her to do as he wanted her to. Should she have allowed him that power? No. But Caroline Forbes never backed down from a dare.

Smiling in her trademark, femme fatale way, she replied, "Let's go somewhere to talk then." If she was going to be making friends in high places, she had better go for one of the strongest out there. She had no doubt that she could twist this Hybrid around her finger, even if she wasn't sure of herself.

With a smirk, he danced them into the shadows, letting her go only when they were out of sight of the other party-goers. He held out his hand, beckoning her to come with. "This is your last chance to back out, love. If you want to go, I won't blame you."

She looked at his outstretched fingers, wondering if she should take the bait or turn and run. Somehow, she knew that this wouldn't be the last time that he propositioned her this way, that if she didn't take this chance, it wouldn't be the last. Of course, she wasn't completely sure that he wouldn't just drag her off anyways. Why she was even considering going with him? She didn't know him at all!

Still, her hand reached out, taking his, allowing him to bring her deeper into the shadows.

_I hope you all liked this second chapter!_


	3. Too Pretty

_I honestly didn't think this story would be so popular! It has 50+ alerts, 20+ favorites, and 19+ reviews! I just want to thank all of you for caring about this and being so excited over it. (:_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Vampire Diaries.

Chapter Three

_Maybe, baby, you're too pretty for me.  
Maybe, baby, you're playing hide and go seek._

He practically dragged her into one of the rooms, quietly closing the door behind them to protect them from detection. The deeper within the house that they'd gotten, the more she began to fear what he could do to her. Could this all be a game? The fear that he invoked in the others was shocking, enough to bring it out in herself. Maybe this was how he and his sister took care of lone "baby vampires".

She tried to swallow the lump in her throat, wishing her breath would come easier. Her hand was captured in his, a loose yet firm hold. If she walked with him, she wouldn't be hurt. If she tried to run, a quick tightening of his fingers could tear her arm out of its sockets. "What are we doing back here?" Caroline asked, regretting her decision already.

Klaus just smiled at her, as charming as he seemed to always be. "I wish for some time alone with you. Is that too much to ask?"

Opening her mouth, she couldn't make herself answer in the affirmative. He was drawing her in; some might call that animal magnetism. He was a wolf in sheep's clothing—almost completely literally—and that look he gave her over his shoulder was enough to send her into a fit.

But she had to focus on survival, not getting laid. Sure, he was hot in a tux that only showed off the width of his shoulders and lean frame. But she needed to think about possible escapes if he did decide she was too much of a loose end. A window, a door, something she could easily break was preferable, though she wasn't sure she would find one in this study of his.

Suddenly, he stopped, catching her off guard so she nearly walked into his back. He smiled again, motioning towards the walls, which were littered with paintings, bookshelves that were stocked full of books. "This was supposed to be the library," he said conversationally before glancing over at her, tightening his hand on hers. "I turned this more into my personal drawing room, however; Elijah and Finn are the only two of my siblings that really read, anyways."

Before she could stop herself, she replied, "You mean your bloodthirsty sister doesn't enjoy a perfectly good classic? I'm shocked." Once the words left her mouth, her eyes flew to his, hoping to whatever God was out there that she hadn't overstepped her bounds. It could mean the difference between keeping her heart in her chest or on the floor.

He laughed softly, looking back to one of the paintings hanging on the walls. His hands fell to his sides, releasing her. "She's much nicer, I assure you." Out of the corner of his eye, he looked her up and down. "Perhaps the three of us can go out shopping tomorrow. Unless you find that dress suitable for everyday activity."

Blinking at his mention of the next day, she asked jokingly, "I guess that means that you aren't planning to take my head off tonight, then. Thank you."

Turning towards her, Klaus ran the backs of his fingers down her cheek. "How could I let something so beautiful be tarnished?" He smiled at her wide-eyed appearance, rolling a strand of her hair between his fingers. "Your hair looks better down," he noted. "When you came in with it up, it didn't suit you. It was too controlled."

"Oh?" she responded, taking a step back from him. "How do you know that I'm not some kind of neurotic control-freak?" Which she most definitely was. Times about two hundred, now that she was a vampire.

Had a man's laughter ever been so musical to her? As he took a step towards her, backing her into a drawing table that held only pencils and a sketch pad, he said, "That's only one aspect of you, love. The human part that you so desperately cling to. If you embrace your new vampire side, it could open the entire world for you. You'd have cities, millions of people falling at your feet. Anything you want, you could have. If you let go of that pesky humanity skirting around after you."

She had never thought of that before. But, though a part of her yearned for it, she couldn't see herself losing her humanity. She wanted to remain as human as possible, never forget about the people that she had left behind when she'd been turned. Those memories could keep her going on during her worst days. They had when the fear of herself had become almost overpowering.

"I don't want to lose my humanity," she replied, a little breathless at his close proximity. "I want to embrace both sides of myself, human and vampire."

Blue eyes went wide as they searched green, as if he thought she must be joking. He leaned closer, his hands on the drawing table next to hers, his body curving over hers. "You actually mean it," he breathed in surprise. "You want to retain humanity?" Then he laughed, this time like an evil scientist. He flung himself away from her, still chuckling hysterically as he walked the room wiping his hands over his face. Turning back towards her, he demanded, "How can you want that? To remember all those human emotions? They leave us weak; vampires shouldn't create bonds with others when it's so easy to kill them."

"Those emotions that you find so debilitating are what make me strong," she answered, standing up straighter, her chin lifted. "I would rather feel pain losing someone, knowing that I could care for them so much, than to walk around for eternity with no one beside me."

They glared into each others' eyes, hers defiant, his commanding. She could tell that he wanted her to give in to him, to admit that human emotions were stupid, but she wouldn't do that. Her beliefs didn't have to be the same as other people's; she just needed to stay strong in them. His jaw clenched and still she didn't back down.

"You don't know what you're talking about," he suddenly growled, in front of her once more. "You might think that you know what forever feels like, but you have no idea." He bared his teeth at her. "It's better to be lonely than betrayed, to be an outsider than a fake."

She blinked, realizing his true problem almost instantly. "You...is that why you helped me?" she asked quietly, searching his face. "You're lonely?" Moving to the side, it was her turn to laugh hysterically. "My life was saved for something as small as wanting a companion." It made rage bubble below her surface; he could have chosen anyone that night to force a debt to him on. He didn't _have_ to protect her from his psychotic sister. "I'm not a dog," she hissed, stabbing a finger into his chest. "You don't just save me from certain death and expect me to fall to your feet. You might think that fealty and fear mean companionship, but it doesn't. Those are the people that will turn on you first."

Turning on her heel, Caroline started for the door, stomping all the way. Everyone was afraid of him because he was the Hybrid, she was starting to see. He'd separated himself, hoping to bring people closer to him by being vicious, by throwing away the human part of him. And he thought she would just fall into line? Hell. No. Caroline Forbes was no one's mindless follower.

Why should she care about the look in his eyes when he'd been snarling in her face, that bit of humanity that was showing through? Niklaus Mikaelson wasn't someone she should feel sympathy for; he was just a poor little rich hybrid. He could have anything in the world and he didn't simply reach for. He had to go about the hard way because he had trust issues.

She was beginning to learn that everyone had trust issues.

His hand wrapped around her wrist, spinning her towards him. His face had changed, showing both werewolf and vampire traits. Yellow eyes, surrounded by black veins. Extra-long fangs protruding, ready to rip out someone's throat.

_Good job getting yourself killed,_ her mind taunted as his face got closer to hers.

_Bwahhaha! Cliffhanger. (;  
Real quick, I just want to talk about the latest episode of TVD. More specifically, the tiny Klaroline scene we got. Is it just me or does Klaus seem to need Caroline more and more every time they meet? At first it was like, "Haha! I'm playing a game to get what I want." Then it was, "Wow, I want her." 3x15 he was actually_ hurt_ by her betrayal. Now, it's like he needs her; and he'll wait for eternity for her to come to him. GASP! I need more of this kind of episode...but involving more of them because I'm getting pretty sick of Elena's "I love Stefan! But I love Damon. But I love Stefan!" crap._


	4. Stronger

_Everyone's been asking me to do longer chapters. If I do longer chapters, it will be a week between updates. I leave this decision up to you: shorter, more frequent chapters or longer, weekly updates. Please let me know!  
_Author's Note: _Finale was epic, though it nearly destroyed my Delena tendencies. But Klaroline is alive! Though JoMo needs to come back. I adore that man._

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Vampire Diaries.

Chapter Four

_What doesn't kill you makes a fighter,  
footsteps even lighter._

She was frozen, staring at those fangs as they came dangerously close to her face. Her breath was caught in her throat, making her wish that she had better control of her temper. He could tear her apart without much of a thought, leave her lifeless body there for a servant to clean up.

Then, suddenly, he let go of her, taking a step back and composing himself. Straightening his tux, he strode to the door, turning back only when he had pulled it open. "Perhaps you should return to the party. But you will remain in this house until further instructed; I took responsibility for you and I won't be letting you make a fool of me. Understood?"

Caroline nodded quickly, not knowing what else she could do. Listening to him was the only way she was going to survive this ordeal. Besides, shouldn't she just ride this for awhile? Rebekah had hinted that she would only be considered too-young-to-be-alone for a few more months; and what was a few months in the span of things? She'd gotten through worse things—the loss of her father, her mother, her town, her life_—_so she could definitely handle a couple of months with the Originals.

Holding her head high, she strode out the doors, back to the party. Caroline Forbes didn't run away from things just because they got uncomfortable. She would power through until she was allowed to leave on her own. In less than a year, she would disappear from the Originals' lives without a backward glance, taking on the world on her own. That was how she had always been meant to live; she was strong enough to.

-.-.-.-.-

For the rest of the night, she was left alone. Apparently everyone was already well aware that she was under Lord Niklaus Mikaelson's protection, not to be touched, so they were wary to spend any time near her. There was almost always a constant radius around her of other party-goers, their backs to her while only allowing quick glances over their shoulders. Of course they were curious, but they also knew where they were.

Sipping her newest flute of champagne, Caroline scanned the crowd for something—_anything—_that jogged her memories, of her creator to be specific. That's what she wanted; to find her real creator so whoever she was could be brought to whatever kind of justice she would be dealt for ditching her. When she'd woken—alone—she'd nearly destroyed her entire hometown. Her first kill outside of the hospital had been a friend from school that had seen her on the street and tried to help her.

She would never forget the look on the boy's face as he'd sunk to the ground, clutching his neck as he choked on the blood from his torn throat.

"I can see why Lord Niklaus has become taken with you; you look gorgeous in that dress."

Snapping out of her thoughts, Caroline turned towards the voice, hoping her face had at least stayed a mask in her surprise. The last thing she wanted was to have some childish look on her face when she met whoever had the courage to speak to her. Catching the man's eyes, she answered coolly, "I think it was more a whim than a clear cut choice on his part. And the rest of his family just seems to let him do as he pleases."

The man gave a wide, wolfy smile, though she had already guessed what he was. He stood with the arrogance of a werewolf, though he was lucky if he was a hair taller than her. His arms and shoulders were broad, his chest tapering down to his hips. His legs were long and strong, too; obviously, he spent a little time in the woods. Black hair was cut short, close to his scalp—maybe it had something to do with his transformation or something. Dark eyes flashed as those almost too-white teeth sparkled.

But she could smell human blood on him, like he was a vampire.

Even though she was positive he was a werewolf.

Turning fully towards him, she asked, "You sound like you're from the States; I'm an ex-patriot myself. Where are you from?" He was cute, she decided. In a football-player kind of way. The ex-cheerleader in her was drawn to it while the vampire part of her wanted to put as much distance between herself and the danger as possible. But, again, she didn't want to make enemies with creatures that could easily kill her.

As she took another sip of her champagne, he smirked, sipping his whiskey. She'd heard werewolves enjoyed whiskey. "You don't have to be afraid of me, you know. First of all, I owe a lot to Klaus. Second, I'm not going to give him any reason to kill me. Because it wouldn't be hard for him." Another gulp, no choking. "And, yes, I'm from the States. Virginia, actually."

Eyes widening and a genuine smile splitting her lips, her hand went to her chest with a gasp. "Me too! Mystic Falls! Of course, you've probably never heard of it; it's pretty small." Trying to regain some semblance of dignity, she raised her flute to her lips, adding haughtily, "Virginia is a big place, I suppose."

"Yes, it is," he answered, eyes twinkling with laughter. "But I actually do know Mystic Falls; I'm from there. A little before your time though."

"What?" No. He looked her physical age, maybe a little younger. And werewolves didn't live forever. "How are you 'before my time'? You can't be more than a year older than me!"

Chuckling, he answered easily, "I was turned into a hybrid by Klaus back in the seventies. Technically, I should be over forty years old." When her eyes bugged out at his answer, he said, "You had to have known that Klaus can turn werewolves. Didn't the two of you disappear for a little while earlier?"

"How did you know?" she demanded. "We don't even know each other and you were watching me."

"First of all, everyone here noticed because Klaus rarely brings women around that are more than blood bags. The last one was before I was around," he said easily, smiling at her again. "They already know that your name is Caroline Forbes and that you happen to be missing your true creator. We're gossipmongers," he supplied. "But I noticed you the second you came inside." A slight flush lighted his cheeks at that admission.

Grinning, she said, "Seems I'm getting all the attention tonight. No wonder no one wants to talk to me."

They continued talking for the rest of their time there. She learned that his name was Tyler Lockwood—she could remember the candlelight vigils for his 'disappearance' every year, held by his rich siblings—and that he was one of Klaus's oldest hybrids. He had broken some curse and found the secret ingredient to his creations only in those years and Tyler was the first fully successful turning. He was also a part of Klaus's guard.

She told him a little bit about how his siblings were doing, as well as their children and, for a few, grandchildren. They talked about the town in general, what was the same and what was different; if the families were still the same; the new-ish football field that bore his name. Caroline finally found someone that intrigued her, that made her laugh and smile, that she didn't have to hide from.

And she realized she was starved for the closeness, no matter what she tried to tell herself.

"Well, Miss Forbes," Tyler said, holding his arm out for her to take, "would you like to dance?" He gave her that smile of his, one that would have made the heart of a weaker woman flutter.

Grinning in return, she took his arm, answering, "I would love to. As long as you don't get grabby. You know what they say about those Lockwood boys."

A gleam came to his eyes and the smirk turned predatory. Bringing her closer, he breathed, "I could say the same to you about the Forbes women. Have a tough time keeping their hands off the Lockwood boys." Winking at her, he started to walk her towards the dance floor, only to be stopped by a tuxedoed figure.

Klaus's smirk froze on his face when he caught sight of their linked arms, eyes narrowing. His back straightened and he gave a tight-lipped smile. "I see you have introduced yourself to Caroline, Tyler," he said pleasantly enough, though his eyes gave way to the fact that he was demanding retribution. "I was going to put you in charge of her security detail, but I have been thinking that I have better uses for your particular expertise."

Both of the young ex-Mystic Falls residents were rigid beneath the Original's gaze, glancing at one another quickly before Caroline stepped forward to speak. "Yeah, he's been really nice to me. No one else was talking to me, so he did. It was nice, since I'm not as used to being alone as I probably should be."

She had successfully drawn the agitated Hybrid's attention to herself, though that didn't seem like her brightest idea. His fangs were just the smallest bit longer than they had been a few minutes before, glinting in the dim light of the dwindling party. "Oh? How nice of him. But, love, you should be on your way upstairs; I don't believe you're ready for the later activities that come with the ball, so I have one of my servants to escort you." At his words, a young Egyptian woman came out of shadows, head low as she bowed to them both. "Nefertari, please show Miss Caroline to her rooms. I will be up in a few hours' time."

The beautiful woman bowed again. "Of course, my liege. I will do whatever you need me to do."

With that, she gently herded Caroline away from Tyler and Klaus, just as the lights in the room turned red; it was like some Edgar Allen Poe poem made into a movie. Just as she was ushered out the door, the blonde swore she saw humans being shown to the center of the ballroom.

But then the door was closed and she could see and hear nothing.

_Finally out of the damned ball! Didn't think it would take me so long to get here, but I did. Might have to add on a few chapters though.  
Oh, and Tyler makes his appearance! Klarowood, anyone? (;_


	5. Turning Tables

_So many mixed reviews about Klarowood! Some of you liked Tyler's appearance, some didn't, but I will tell you right now that there's gotta be some tension between Klaus and Caroline! Besides, Tyler is a good, strong character (when he's not being a whiny pussbag) and I enjoy writing him.  
Also, it seems you would like the long-ish chapters even if I have to update less frequently. This is something I can most definitely do and will._

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Vampire Diaries.

Chapter Five

_I can't keep up with your turning tables;  
under your thumb, I can't breathe._

Pacing her room, she watched as the sun rose in her window with a certain amount of worry. What had gone on downstairs the night before? She'd watched from her perch on her window seat, waiting to see the humans leave with eyes glazed.

None had.

So she'd thought the worst, trying to remind herself that this was the world she lived in now. Before, she had been able to cut out most of the gore from her life, the murder and bloodlust. She'd been alone then. Now, however, she had to live by the Originals' rules; they were older and more powerful than her. To go against them was suicide, as she'd learned from her new "ladies' maid", Nefertari. It was better to just keep her head down and not make any sudden movements.

But could she really go against all of her morals, all the ethics her mother had drilled into her head? Could she just turn her back on the creatures that they had all once been?

Her eyes once more traveled over her new room, a little shocked that it was so well-decorated. All the furniture was dark oak wood, shining as if new. Her bed was covered with beautiful—and soft—Egyptian cotton comforter and sheets, the same color as the night sky. There were obviously expensive paintings hanging on all the walls, adding a certain sense of finery to the room.

She was afraid to touch anything.

However, she was even more frightened by the fact that there was an adjoining _doorway_ to her room from the one next to hers. At first, she had believed it might be Nefertari's rooms, keeping the servant close to the master, so to speak. But when the woman had bowed and left through the other door without so much as a glance at the door that would lead to the next room, Caroline had become uneasy. She could guess who else might inhabit the room next to hers and she was terrified to be left alone with him once more. The last time she'd seen him one-on-one, he'd been ready to rip her head from her shoulders...with his _mouth_.

Glancing down at her dress, she wished that she had something else to wear. For instance, her favorite jeans would definitely come in handy at that point. They could help her with this pesky bit of trouble she was in where she wasn't sure how to step, how to do anything more than hope for the best.

Suddenly, the door connecting two bedrooms swung open and the man that had saved her the night before strode in, looking well-rested and ready for the day. He wore a simple gray Henley shirt with the top button undone, his jeans dark but fading with continued use. He looked put-together, unlike most of the human men out there that still insisted on letting their pants show just the smallest bit of their boxers.

Of course, it didn't look as if he were wearing _any_ sort of underpants.

He looked her up and down, giving her a lopsided grin. "Do you really plan on going out in the clothes that you arrived in last night? What will the humans think?"

His joke was lost on her and she couldn't help the rigidity that came to her stance. She didn't doubt that he could kill her with that pleasant look on his face and she wasn't about to sit there and be a willing victim. She knew that she couldn't truly run from him, but she would give a good show at it. "You didn't let me leave to go back to my apartment last night. This is all I have."

Raising an eyebrow at her, he crossed to the closet on the other side of the room, opening the doors quickly. Motioning for her to look, he said easily, "I sent someone for your things. Well, the things that were appropriate. We will have to refill your wardrobe while we're out today." When she made no move to move closer to him, he chuckled lightly. "Ah, come on, love, no need to be shy. I assure you that I wouldn't let any of my men dig through your unmentionables; I sent a female hybrid to gather your belongings."

Moving warily across the room, she stopped just a step outside his reach. "The last time I talked to you, you were ready to kill me. I would really prefer it if you give me a little space."

His laughter seemed to bounce off the walls. "That? Sweetheart, that was just a lovers' spat; nothing more. I'm over it," he added in a tone that meant it wasn't worth mentioning. Those blue eyes gleamed with something that she couldn't place as she made no effort to go any closer to him.

"'Lovers' spat'? That implies that we are"—she couldn't bring herself to say it—"more than strangers." Careful to maintain eye-contact—she wasn't about to let him know she was terrified—she went on. "Besides, there's no reason to give anyone the wrong impression on why I'm here."

One eyebrow raised, Klaus asked, "Who says that's not why you're here?" At her shocked look, he smirked once more, moving closer to her and invading her space. "I don't save people just for the fun of doing so. I always have an ulterior motive. Perhaps mine with you is a little more"—his gaze gave her a healthy once-over before catching hers—"physical than the others."

Swallowing, she took a step back, then another, trying to keep as much space as possible between them. "No, seriously, that's okay. I mean, I'm flattered and all—and grateful that you kept me alive—but I don't do the whole relationship thing. Any sort of one." _Not since I became a monster._

He laughed at her again, crossing to the doorway he'd entered from. Glancing over his shoulder, he answered, "We'll see when we come to it, baby vampire. I know of few women in your situation that wouldn't take advantage of a gift dropped in their lap. Oh, and by the way, this door leads to my room. If you need _anything_, I'm here." With that, he left, closing the heavy door behind him with a final click.

It took her nearly a full minute to comprehend what he meant by "taking advantage of a gift", realizing that the egotistical Hybrid was talking about _himself_. He really thought so well of himself?

Blushing madly—and pretending it didn't make her thirsty—she crossed to her new closet, checking the clothes inside. Luckily for all in the Mikaelson Mansion, her favorite jeans were there, waiting for her. Grabbing them and an airy green button-up, she moved into her _private _bathroom, thanking whatever God might be out there that it was on the opposite side of his room. No need for awkward, near-naked meetings between the two of them.

Hopping in the shower, she hoped that at some point in her stay there, she would calm her frantic heart.

-.-.-.-.-

"Rebekah, you must come with us," Caroline heard Klaus say from her side of the door. She had just gotten out of the shower and was standing, waiting for some sign that they were leaving, when she'd heard their voices through the door. Unable to resist the pull of sibling arguments, since she'd never had her own, she listened intently to what they were talking about.

"Nik, I have no intention of _befriending_ that baby vampire. Shopping is a bonding experience between friends and I do not—will not—count her among them!" the older blonde hissed, no doubt throwing up her arms and waving them about like a child throwing a tantrum. Caroline had quickly learned that Rebekah was the youngest of the Originals, the baby. She was treated like a spoiled princess, getting whatever she wanted. Also, she seemed to have a problem with sharing her brothers with anyone, whether they were male or female.

_If I was the only daughter—and the youngest—I'd probably feel that way too._

Caroline could practically hear Klaus grin, though he must have hidden it before he spoke again. "Sister, you don't _have_ any friends. And what will going shopping hurt? You can tell her how awful she looks in everything she tries on if she really bothers you."

Barely able to stifle the indignant gasp she felt rumbling through her at his words, Caroline decided that it was best _not_ to listen in. She would never understand the hidden meanings to their words, so why should she bother to try? Of course, the moment she heard her name, she couldn't help just listening a _tiny_ bit more.

"...about Caroline I just can't put my finger on," Klaus was saying in hushed tones, as if he didn't want them to be overheard. _Whoops._ "I'm drawn to her, Bekah, as I haven't been to anyone since Tatia. Even then, it wasn't nearly this strong." He paused and she heard the soft give of his bed as he sat on the edge, the sound of his fingers going through his hair.

"If she becomes a liability, Nik, you'll have to leave her. If she won't bow to us, she might turn on us. We can't risk it," Rebekah said as she sat beside him, gently stroking his back.

_Once again,_ Caroline thought to herself, _they are discussing my fate. And, once again, Klaus is the only one willing to save me._ She chose to ignore all of the drawn-to-her nonsense; once the novelty of her wore off, he would forget about her. Just like every other man that had ever been a part of her life. But if that was all that was keeping her alive at this point, she was going to accept it and try not to provoke him. _Keep my head low and attached to my shoulders._

Turning away from the door, she crossed to the full-length mirror Nefertari must have brought in while she'd been in the shower, snatching her blow dryer and curling iron from the bedside table, where they had been placed. _Cover up their voices, hear nothing more._

She was missing an important exchange, however.

In the other room, Klaus stood, once more purposeful and confident. Giving his sister a smirk, he said, "I think I can get her on our side, Bekah. I'm going to make this girl mine. She'll think of me more than any other and will be loyal to only _me_." He gave a quick, nearly insane chuckle before striding with purpose to the door that connected the rooms.

Flashing to stand in front of him, Rebekah blocked the door frame with her body. "Nik, this is mad! She is nothing compared to the enemies we've made; they'll take her to spite you. If you won't think of us, then think of her! They will _kill_ her if it means getting to you!"

Klaus merely smirked down at his sister, murmuring, "I'd like to see them try."

_Getting deeper and deeper into the story that I pictured this being! Took more chapters than I had hoped, but what can you do? Stories flow how stories flow and that's all there is to it._


	6. In Your Arms

_Ah, thank you all for the love of last chapter! So many of you are wondering where Klaus is going with wooing her, how he will do it. Here is phase one of his plan. Should be great, yeah?_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Vampire Diaries.

Chapter Six

_Let me be your guard,  
protecting you, my angel, from the dark._

"No, no, no, Caroline. That simply won't do. It is too depressing and...frumpy!" Rebekah said, shaking her head as she stood to go to the younger vampire's side by the changing rooms. "I understand the whole brooding vampire thing—my brothers happen to have that down to a T—but you could at least pick something _good_ that comes in black! Though you _should_ try to find something that has just a splash of color; everything you've chosen looks like something you would wear to your maiden aunt's funeral!"

Klaus was hiding a smile behind his champagne flute; his sister was definitely enjoying spending time with another female, though she would never admit it. Her eyes flashed with mirth even while her mouth straightened in consternation. "I believe she's right, love," he agreed as he looked Caroline up and down, openly leering. "I'm sure you can make anything look good, but that _is_ a stretch."

The girl in question turned on her tormentors, her hands on her hips. "Both of you have been saying that _all day_. And I told you that ever since I was turned, I don't _do_ bright, cheerful colors. That would send off the wrong message." Turning her head to peer over her shoulder, she hid her own disgust at the dress as she mumbled, "Besides, I think it looks _great._"

"Then you have no sense of fashion and I will have to take over all such decisions for you!" Rebekah said in answer, going into the fitting room Caroline had just vacated to gather the clothes in her arms. Handing them to a cloudy-eyed sales rep, she said, "Do not bring her any more clothes; _I _will pick them for her." As the human slowly ambled away, the Original turned her eyes back to her unlikely friend. "We will be buying you _everything_ I say you look good in." Then she spun on her heel, disappearing into the clothing racks to rifle through anything that looked the least bit interesting.

Klaus stood, leaving his drink on a side table stacked with fashion magazines. Crossing to where Caroline still eyed the obnoxious contours of the dress, he leaned down to murmur in her ear, "You don't have to worry, sweetheart; she'll choose something that will have you turning heads everywhere we go."

She jumped in an adorably frightened way—like a rabbit at the sound of a car—her eyes wide as they met his. "_Don't_ sneak up on me," she said shakily, backing up a step to escape their close proximity.

Placing his hands in his pockets lazily, he took a confident step forward, a devilish grin gracing his lips. "Ah, do I scare you, sweet Caroline? You have nothing to fear from me, I assure you. What I want from you requires your...participation, as it were." When she blushed madly, he threw her a wink, delighting in the way she stumbled as she moved away from him again. Matching her stride for stride—and covering more ground with his much longer legs—he asked, "Do you often shy away from men you're attracted to? Perhaps I _don't_ have anything to fear from Tyler after all."

Blinking big doe eyes at him for a few moments, she suddenly regained her composure, standing tall with her chin just slightly out. He could fall in love with that stubborn streak alone. "I never said I was attracted to you, Klaus. It takes a little more to gain my interest than saving my life." Even to her own ears, that sounded pretty rude. But she was terrified of what he was capable of, what he planned on doing with her.

Raising one eyebrow, he asked, "Really? So are you waiting for another handsome Brit to sweep you off your feet then?" He laughed. "Whether they're vampire, werewolf, witch, or human, they'll cower at the mention of my name next to yours. They won't dare to cross me."

Before she could answer, the sales member from before strode towards them with a wireless phone. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but there is a call for Miss Caroline Forbes. They said it's urgent."

The blonde froze at the statement. Someone was calling for _her_? Her family and friends thought she was dead and she hadn't really made an effort to make any new ones. There were few that knew her first name and even fewer still who knew her full name. Who could be phoning a store for her?

Klaus stepped forward, taking the phone and giving the human a dark look that sent her scurrying away. "I'm sorry," he said lightly into the phone, "but Caroline is currently unavailable. I can take a message, however." His tone implied that whoever was on the other line had better not hang up; he had the power to find them.

_"Niklaus? So strange to hear your voice after all this time. I had heard about you taking my baby vampire at your party last night. I want her back."_

"Katerina," he growled, turning his back on a completely perplexed Caroline. "So, you're the one that left her alone in such a delicate time? I hope you do know the punishment for such a thing. Because I am personally going to hand it out."

_"Oh? You punish me but not her? People have already started talking, Klaus. She'll be safer with me than with your enemies."_

Moving swiftly to the other side of the room so Caroline could not hear the rest of the conversation, Klaus snarled, "Truly? And what would you get out of it, I wonder? Protecting my...Caroline will come at a hefty price if you are the one offering."

He could hear her shifting the phone, recognized the sound of a chord hitting the side of a booth. She was at a payphone, probably close by. He needed to find a way to get to her. _"All I want is my past forgiven. I've tired of running and found a man that I hope to keep. If you swear that you will never come after me, I will protect her until you can get your...guards in order."_

"My guards are already in order," he replied easily, catching Rebekah's eyes and motioning for her to go to Caroline's side. "At this very moment, they are surrounding the store, keeping everyone but us out."

_"Oh, about that...one tried to bite me. His head is in a dumpster two blocks from here, his body hanging from the tree in the square. Sorry, but you understand the need for survival."_

Wanting nothing more than to roar in rage, he kept his voice low, calm. "I had expected an older vampire to be able to get through them. Their nothing more than children. That's why both my sister and I are here, ready to protect her if someone _does_ manage to get too close." Standing up straighter and turning his gaze towards the wide windows, he murmured, "I do not accept your deal. I will protect Caroline and you will keep as far from her as possible. If I find you, I will kill you without a second thought. Know that I don't joke about these things." Clicking the button that would end the call, he nearly smashed it to pieces as he slammed it down on the counter. Striding back to the two women in his life, he said with fake pleasantness, "All right, lovelies, let's get everything Rebekah has picked out and go back to the house. I'm sure we have spent more than enough today."

Rebekah nodded, taking everything she had chosen to the checkout counter. Of course, they got the employee discount, thanks to some compulsion.

Meanwhile, Klaus grabbed Caroline's wrist, nearly dragging her out of the store. "Time to go," he said when she started to dig in her heels. "I've grown tired of playing dress up and I need a drink."

"Who is Katerina?" she asked without missing a beat as they bolted out the door and back to the car—which was filled with bags. "Is she the one that turned me?" He caught the excitement in her voice, as if she _wanted_ to meet the vampire that had changed her against her will into a monster. The reason that she was stuck with him in the first place.

Barely able to contain his anger, he answered, "She's no one. It'd just be easier if you put her from your mind."

"But if she shows up, I can go with her! Then you wouldn't have to take care of me anymore!" Caroline argued, as if that would change his mind. In her mind, it was probably a plausible reason for him to let her go with the other vampire.

She didn't know what kind of person Katerina Petrova was, however. She had no idea that the vampire had changed her for a specific purpose, probably as a decoy or sacrifice. Nothing that the turned doppelganger did wasn't part of some great, grand scheme. And he was determined to find out what this one was.

Rebekah climbed into the car behind them, placing the bags on top of the others in the backseat. "I don't see why _I_ get the backseat. I'm _much_ older and I'm your sister!" she pouted, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Because we have to get out of here now and that's the stick you drew."

-.-.-.-.-.-

"So you won't tell me anything about Katerina? I can tell by how you're acting that she's the one that sired me," Caroline said as she sipped her glass full of blood—from a blood bag—and Klaus stalked in from his meeting with his hybrids. Leaning forward, she asked with honest curiosity, "Don't you want to get rid of me? I mean, I'm sure I'm cramping your style. Whatever you were doing last night after the ball is obviously something that you can't do all the time with me tagging around behind you."

She didn't want to tell him that she had a clue of what had happened then. When they'd come back—in silence—from shopping, the servants had been whispering about making sure that they got all the blood wiped up. So, the humans had been some form of entertainment? They'd probably been sucked dry in some bloodlust orgy.

He turned a shocked gaze at her, as if he hadn't expected her to bring that up. Then he carefully schooled his features, giving her a smirk that didn't reach his eyes. "Love, I believe I told you before that I have no intention of 'getting rid of you'. I have much better plans for you."

Blinking at his words—would she ever grow used to such bluntness—she quickly recovered, standing and moving towards the door. "I still don't see why you don't just let me go. If she's the one that sired me, I want to know why. I want to know what she could possibly want with some teenage girl from a miniscule town in Virginia," she said without looking at him.

His hand wrapping around her wrist gently, he turned her to look at him. A dark, mad gleam came to his eyes as they locked with hers. "I've decided to protect you, Caroline Forbes. I won't let her hurt you as I have no doubt she's planning to."

Caroline stared at him, unable to form words or do more than breathe, for that matter. The moment he dropped her hand, she bolted, taking her drink to her room and locking the door that connected their rooms.

A laughable gesture, but one she felt necessary.

_Hope this chapter is up to snuff! Thank you to everyone that reviewed/alerted!  
Also, I'd like to know if you think I should get a Tumblr. I'm not sure and would love your input!_


	7. Blown Away

_I'd just like to answer a question that most have asked about this story. They keep saying things like, "What is Katherine's plan?" "Will we find out what her plan is or not?" You _will_ be finding out her master plan, but in due time. Just relax, lovelies. I've got this story plotted and it's just waiting to be written!_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Vampire Diaries.

Chapter Seven

_There's not enough rain in Oklahoma,  
to wash the sins out of that house._

Klaus was avoiding her. Of that much she was certain, seeing as he would give some half-assed excuse whenever he saw her, moving quickly away before she could ask any questions. It was like he didn't want her around.

So why keep her from Katerina?

She knew that a day and a half of him practically running away from her wasn't much to go by. Sure, it was suspicious, but that didn't mean that he really _was_ avoiding her. Perhaps he really was busy, especially since she'd heard some of his hybrids mumbling about some new, special guards coming in to better prepare the grounds for an attack. None of them were sure who they were readying themselves to face, but their sire—maybe they preferred the term "master"?—was definitely on edge, which put _them_ on edge.

Rebekah had tried to find ways to cheer her up, though she'd disguised it as boredom. Since Klaus had started leaving her alone, Caroline was surprised to find that she actually _liked_ the company of a woman who, on at least two occasions, had lobbied to kill her. Still, the Original was just a girl that had been forced into a lifestyle she wasn't completely ready for at a young age; wasn't that the same as Caroline?

Unfortunately, her fear had mixed with anger and hurt at Klaus's behavior, leaving her to kindly decline many of Rebekah's offers. Instead, she'd worked herself into quite the tizzy over it, reminding herself that it was better to be angry than it was to be hurt.

How could he make a decision like that for her? Shouldn't she be able to at least _meet_ the woman that had given her blood and turned her into a monster? Even if it was just to _confront_ her.

Because she was starting to like this place, just like she might an all-expenses-paid trip to the most luxurious hotel in the world. She loved the fact that everyday she was able to find new things throughout the house; it made her feel human again as she crept around, avoiding detection.

Now, however, as she sat in her room with little more to do than stare at the wall—the Originals were in full swing that day and watching her every move—she wished that she could see a familiar face. Even if it was someone she hadn't _liked_ when she'd been human. Everything was weird and one shred of normalcy would be nice.

"Caroline?" Rebekah called from the other side of her door, knocking lightly. "Are you in there?" Her voice was oddly cool, as if they had gone back to their relationship during their shopping trip. "If you are, come down to the parlor; Elijah and Nik have some news to share with us about some...things."

Standing with a nearly silent sigh, Caroline answered, "Yes, I'm in here. I'll be down in a minute, I promise." What could they possibly want to talk about? It wasn't like they were going to let her be a part of the decision making anyways, right? They would probably just expect her to do whatever the rest of them wanted. Hell, she might be left up to Klaus's fancy, considering his stature among the siblings. Which meant she would get to do little more than sit in her room and wait for something to happen.

God, she _hated_ being the damsel in distress!

She crossed to the door, holding her head high. If they thought they could just take over her life, she would show them how unbearable a situation that could be for them.

Walking with a natural human pace, it took her about five minutes to make it to the parlor. Elijah sat in the armchair, his posture giving him the air of a king among his court. Rebekah was perched on the arm of the chair, eyes filled with something like concern. Finn sat on the cushion of the loveseat that was farthest from his siblings, his wife Sage taking the spot closest to Elijah.

Glancing to the couch, she saw Klaus watching her from his position on one end. His arm stretched across the back, as if inviting her to sit down next to him.

As if she actually _would_.

With a disdainful sniff, she sat on the other side of the couch, keeping herself pressed against the arm as subtly as possible. She wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of doing as he expected. If he wasn't going to give her the right to choose what she did with her own life, she wasn't going to be some submissive woman. She was going to take him for a ride he would _never_ forget.

Blushing at the unintended innuendo, she turned her attention to the man that had just come into the room.

Kol stood in the doorway, buttoning up his shirt quickly. She had guessed that he might have had a female guest over the night before when he had declined having dinner. He seemed like the type that liked to be surrounded by his family, if only to tease them. "Sorry I'm late," he said with a smirk. "I was a little...well, tied up." Looking at Caroline, he shot her a wink before striding over to her. "We haven't been formerly introduced, have we? I'm Kol, the youngest, most dashing of the Mikaelson brothers." He lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss on the back of it.

"Caroline Forbes," she answered quietly, gently pulling her hand from his grip. "I just happen to be living in the same house as you." It was clear that her jab hit Klaus right where it was intended to.

"Well, if you ever need something, I'm usually in my room. Once we're done here, I can show you where that is just in case you must find me." His smile had no doubt melted fairer hearts than hers. So boyish and charming; quite the vision of a carefree young man.

"Kol, one more word and I'll rip out your liver," Klaus snarled with a glare sent at his brother. His blue gaze turned to Caroline then as he motioned for her to sit by him. When she didn't immediately do so, he murmured, "Your spot is over here, love." Though his voice was soft—like one might speak to a child—there was a hard undertone of command that he didn't expect to be disregarded. He was used to those around him doing as they were told, used to getting his way.

Giving him a cold smile, Caroline answered, "Oh, I'm just fine over here. But thanks."

She could hear Finn and Sage chuckling to themselves, arms tucked around one another, as Klaus's eyes narrowed on her. Elijah and Rebekah shared a come-now kind of look when the Hybrid opened his mouth. Kol, however, seemed to take his side.

"Actually, he's right," he said playfully. "That's my spot. And I'm quite annoying when it comes to my spot. Think Dr. Sheldon Cooper on this one." Waving his hands in a gesture that obviously meant she was supposed to scoot, he kept that boyish grin on his face. "Go on now; there you go!"

She threw him a dark look before sliding closer to Klaus. But only so that Kol had enough room to sit without rubbing against her.

Klaus had other plans, however, because he wrapped his arm around her waist, dragging her to his side easily. Quelling her as she shoved against him was easy and he turned to his oldest brother. "So, Elijah, are you going to explain the situation or shall I?"

"I will, brother," Elijah answered. He took the chance to look at everyone gathered, breathing deeply before he spoke again. "It seems that Katerina is after something from us. A few of our witches have said that she is using many other witches to protect her from being found, but that she is somewhere near us. She has already tried to make a deal with Niklaus to gain her freedom from us. Personally, I am sick of hunting down the Petrova doppelgangers, especially since we have no real need for it. But, seeing as she isn't targeting us, I don't think it's up to us." He turned a look towards Caroline. "She wants _you_ for something, Miss Forbes, and I believe that you should decide where you would like us to go from here."

Before she could answer—or even think of an answer—Klaus had pulled her tighter into his side, snarling, "What? You would give her this choice though she has no idea what Katerina is capable of?"

"It's her life, Niklaus," Finn said from the loveseat, tugging Sage nearer to him. "She must make the choice; you wouldn't want her to have such an important decision taken away from her as ours was, do you?"

Rebekah stood, moving to the arm of the couch next to Klaus. "I have to go with Nik on this one. She has no idea what kind of person Katerina is. We need to keep the Petrova bitch away from her until we know what her true plans are."

"Ditto," Kol added.

"Does _anyone_ care about what I have to say?" Caroline demanded, standing from her spot on the couch. Putting her hands on her hips, she glared at them all—mostly Klaus. "Did you ever think that this _shouldn't_ be a family decision, that _I_ should be the one that gets to say whether I go to her or not?" Some part of her knew that she was playing with fire; she hardly knew the Originals and yet she was practically shouting at them? But that didn't stop her anger. "She's the one that _made me_; don't any of you think I should know her?"

Klaus stood, facing off with her as the others also rose from their seats. "You don't know Katerina as we do. You have no idea the kind of woman she is, what she has done. Not just to our family, but also many others."

Glaring up at him, she hissed, "Either way, she made me for a purpose. It's obvious that she didn't just get an itch to make a new vampire out of some kid from Podunk, Virginia and I drew the short straw. She wants to use me for something and I'm going to find out." Turning away, she strode towards the door with furious intent.

He was there, however, cutting her off and blocking her only exit. "No," he said simply. "You won't be finding out what she wants with you. Because I won't let you _leave_." As they stood in the shadowed part of the room, he snatched her hand, practically ripping her daylight ring off her. Pocketing it before she could say a word, he growled, "I won't keep you prisoner here, but the sun will."

_Badass Klaus was needed, I feel like. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!  
Also, on my Tumblr (same name) I've been posting some Klaroline stuff. Please read it and tell me what you think!_


	8. Pride and Joy

_I can't believe I haven't done any good Klaus/Caroline one-on-one scenes! Hope this chapter's got what you need!_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Vampire Diaries.

Chapter Eight

_You mess with her,  
you'll see a man get mean._

For a week, Caroline was stuck within the mansion, dodging random light rays throughout the halls. Rebekah had tried each day to entertain her friend, but found it was hard when they had to worry about sunrise and sunset. Caroline had made a point to ignore all of Klaus's possible advances, making sure that even if he came in the room she didn't so much as glance at him.

She wasn't going to let him think that she would let him do whatever he pleased with _her_ life.

And it was obviously getting to him. Kol had been making a point to come visit her in her room on the sunniest days, lounging in her bed as if it were his with a magazine to flip through while she went through her clothes or did her makeup. She would chat idly with the younger Mikaelson, completely ignoring Klaus if he walked in. At one point, he'd shaken her, snarling in her face. She'd just blinked up at him, saying quietly, "Oh? When did you get here?" before turning away from him to touch up her hair in the mirror. He'd stalk into his room, slamming the door behind him.

"Well, aren't you just the coldest shoulder?" Kol had said without looking up from his page.

"I was a teenager in the two-thousands; I know how to ignore someone and make them feel terrible," she'd replied easily, crossing to grab a movie from the shelf.

Now, however, she was ready to rip her hair out. She needed to get out, needed to go somewhere. _Anywhere._ In fact, she wouldn't mind never seeing any of the Originals again, with the exception of Rebekah, who had really been nice since their shopping trip. She wanted her daylight ring back and to get the hell out of there.

If she could just go out _for one night_...

The door connecting her room with Klaus's suddenly burst open, said Hybrid stomping in with his sister close behind. His scowl could only be matched in intensity by Rebekah's radiant smile as she practically exploded with excitement.

"Get dressed," he snarled, already standing in front of her closet and throwing clothes—his choice—at her. "We're going out tonight."

Rebekah immediately jumped in. "There's this great little pub in town that has the best music and the bartender can make you any drink you want!" she said, moving to help her brother choose an outfit for their guest. "Besides, there's a ton of devastatingly handsome humans in there that are just waiting to get a bite taken out of them."

As Klaus snarled, Caroline turned to her friend. "We're actually going _out_ tonight? Like, away from the mansion? Do I get my daylight ring back?"

"No," the Hybrid hissed immediately, sending her a seething glance. "We'll be going out after dark and returning well before sunrise. You have no reason to get it back; besides, you have not earned it." Giving up on helping Rebekah with clothes, he crossed to stand in front of Caroline, arms folded over his chest. "Once you make the _right_ decision, love, I'll give you back your daylight ring." Turning on his heel before she could respond, he left the room, calling over his shoulder, "Wear something pretty."

Rebekah grabbed Caroline before she could go flying after him, whispering, "Believe me, it isn't worth it. Let's just go out tonight, give you a night away, and we'll start working on him tomorrow."

"I'm going to kill him," the younger vampire snarled.

"We all say that at some point."

-.-.-.-.-

Caroline had continued pointedly ignoring Klaus for the rest of the day. Once they got to the bar, she kept her distance so she had no reason to talk to him, paid more attention to the handsome man flirting his way into her good graces.

Electrifying blue eyes watched her with a certain sizzle to them, as if he were imagining her naked. He was tall, standing just around six feet, with a subtly muscled frame. Black locks fell into his face devilishly, giving him the look of a fallen angel on a mission to seduce women everywhere. Luckily for her, she could sense that he was a predator like herself, knew that he was probably much older than her.

But that didn't stop her from flirting outrageously.

"You still haven't told me your name," he murmured in her ear at one point, allowing her to feel his breath and smile against the shell.

If she were a lesser woman, she would have offered him her panties right then. "Caroline," she whispered huskily in return, noticing Rebekah coming towards them out of the corner of her eye. Knowing that she only had a few moments before she would no doubt be dragged back to Klaus's side by his well-meaning sister, she started taking steps back from the man with a seductive smile on her face. "And I would really like to dance."

He smirked in return. "Well, I'm Damon and I will definitely dance with you." Then he grabbed her, pulling her to the dancefloor as a fast, heady beat filled the air.

Caroline shot Rebekah a quick look when her friend gave her a did-you-have-to expression. Of course she had to; this was her first night out—her last for God knew how long—and she was going to enjoy it to the fullest. If she could remember all the stupid things she did tonight, she hadn't partied hard enough. And Damon was the first step in her little plan.

Dancing as close to him as she could, she moved as well as her outfit would allow her. Rebekah had unerringly picked out Caroline's sexiest clothes: stretchy blue and black mini-dress that pulled taut over all of her curves with strappy stilettos to match. The dress only came over one shoulder and ended just above mid-thigh, baring quite a bit of her to men's eyes as they watched her over their drinks. She'd curled her hair and put on dramatically accentuating makeup.

As the beat grew faster towards the climax of the song, it was hard for her to control her breathing...or her body. This Damon was sexy, something far too obvious in his tight, all-black ensemble. And her vampire hormones definitely weren't helping her reaction to him.

She pushed closer to him, wondering what he would taste like...

Then he was gone, everything in the pub seeming to stop at that moment. Instead, Klaus stood just in front of her, breathing heavily as he snarled. If she described the scene later, she would have to say that he was acting like a feral wolf, growling at an opponent as his chest heaved in fury. It was pretty obvious to everyone there that he was guarding her, blocking her from the view of the man she'd been dancing with.

Unable to move—or breath—Caroline could do nothing but stare as Klaus hissed, "I suggest you stay away from her, Salvatore." _They knew each other?_ "And tell Katerina that I don't care for her sending her lackeys after my baby vampire." _Damon knows Katerina?_

The blue-eyed vampire stood, chuckling. "She goes by Katherine now, you know," he rasped, spitting blood onto the floor. "And I wouldn't work with her ever again. I came here because I was trying to find you guys; I know all about your grudge against her. I didn't know you'd taken in another Vampire Barbie." Staggering as he pulled a broken chair leg out of his arm, he breathed, "If you help me with something, I help you. That simple."

"Rebekah, take care of this," Klaus snarled, waving his hand to motion to the entire room. In a flash, he was yanking Caroline out of the bar, storming into the alleyway that they had entered through.

Regaining her senses, she fought futilely to escape his hold. "Let go of me, Klaus!" she finally shouted, giving one last desperate pull on her trapped wrist. "You said that I was allowed this one night out; can't you just leave me alone? I want to _enjoy_ it!"

He spun on her, using his vampire speed to slam her against the brick of the building at the dead-end of the alley. Trapping both her hands beside her head, he snarled, "I'm supposed to just let you go running around with some other man?" His blue eyes flashed gold as his fangs lengthened. "Were you going to bring him home with us, sleep with him in the room _I_ gave you, connected to _my_ room?"

"No!" she hissed. "I was going to dance with him before you make me go home to that stupid mansion that I can never leave! You took my daylight ring! Even if I _did_ leave after sunset, where could I go? Not on a plane! And I don't know anything about this country! Where would I go, you idiot?" Thrashing with renewed vigor, she growled, "Let go of me, you asshole! I hate you!"

His mouth snapped closed like an alpha wolf warning off someone weaker. "Do you think I'm so stupid I can't see what was happening? You were attracted to him, letting him touch you like—" He stopped as if realizing what he was going to say and only looked angrier. His face closing in on hers, he roared, "I'm not about to share what's _mine_ with some arrogant bastard from America! I'm the Original Hybrid, damnit!"

Then his lips met hers, demanding a response. She gasped against his lips as his tongue delved into her mouth. His hands left her wrists to wrap around her waist, tugging her closer still until it was hard to tell where either began. Her arms found their way around his neck as he lifted her against him, pinning her to the wall.

"Klaus, I heard—" came the voice of one of his hybrids from the end of the alley, suddenly cut off as he realized the situation. Somewhere in her clouded mind, she realized it was Tyler, even felt a moment of guilt.

"We're going to a hotel," he murmured against her before he set her on the ground, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the hybrid. "Take us to The Athenaeum," he barked, throwing her a firey look over his shoulder. "We need to be alone tonight."

_Bahhaha! Here is where I cut off. (: I don't know if I'm going to do the sex romps on FF or if I'll post them to my Tumblr. I'd really like to do it here, but I don't want to get my story deleted after all this hullabaloo lately.  
By the way, if my fics are deleted, I'll be posting them on _cecevolume(dot)tumblr(dot)com. _I just wanted you all to be aware!_


	9. Wonderland

_I'm updating less only because FF _sucks_. I don't want my stories to be taken down. But if they are, they'll be going up on Tumblr and finished there. If I get another warning from FF, I'm deleting my account here and sticking to Tumblr, since they don't delete my shit there.  
Anyways, message me if you would like my Tumblr account. There's stuff up there that won't be coming on FF._

THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO luludancing, MY TUMBLR PARTNER IN CRIME.

**Warning – There is a bit of a lemon in here. I'm keeping this T so it doesn't get taken down (hopefully) but I have to warn those of you who don't want to read that.**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Vampire Diaries.

Chapter Nine

_I don't need a knight,  
so baby take off all your armor._

As they stumbled into the hotel room, entwined as only almost-lovers could be, Caroline threw caution to the wind. At some point, she would think about the repercussions later. Much later.

This attraction she held for Klaus was nothing like what she'd felt with Damon at the bar. No, this made that seem indifferent, as if everything she'd been feeling for the vampire was just a shadow of what she felt for the hybrid. This was consuming, distracting, and oh-so-wrong. Did this count as her giving in to his demands? Did this mean she would have to do exactly as he told her?

Either way, she didn't want it to stop.

As his hands lifted her up against him, forcing her to wrap her legs around his waist as she kissed him from above. She was completely wrapped around him, her tongue battling with for dominance with his. His moan against her mouth, the tightening of his hands on her ass as he carried them to the bed. Ripping his shirt from his back with ease, she reveled in his growl of approval, in the way he brought her ever closer, as if to fuse them.

Distantly, she heard the ringing of his cellphone, something she happily ignored. Whoever was calling him would have to wait until she was finished with him. And that could take the rest of the night.

Dropping her to the bed, Klaus took off the last of his shirt, throwing it away negligently. "Love," he growled as he followed her down, kissing every piece of skin he bared as he slipped the shoulder of her dress down her arm, "I wouldn't expect to leave here before sunrise."

She smirked up at him. "Prove it," she breathed in return.

Snarling, he yanked the dress down her body, flinging it into a pile that looked magnificent on the floor. With a grown of appreciation, he set to kissing every inch of skin that was revealed, taking in her taste with delight. "I will," he answered without letting his lips completely leave her skin. "And you'll love it."

Caroline smiled down at him as his mouth traced around her bra, breathing heavily as his fingers tugged the straps down her shoulders. She watched his eyes—her own at half-mast—as he sucked and kissed every piece of skin he could get close to, her hands traveling over the broad expanse of his back to sate her need to touch him. When his mouth continued lower, she tensed for a brief moment before giving a small mewl.

She was doing this with Klaus Mikaelson. The Original Hybrid was kissing the flesh he was revealing as he slowly pulled the edges of her panties down her legs. What the hell did she knew about him? That he was capable of murder for something that was beyond the victim's control, that he needed to be surrounded with obedience and didn't take disobedience well. That he could kill her with a single bite.

And yet, here she was, praying that he wouldn't stop his assault on her body. If she'd had her voice, she would have pleaded with him to move faster, to keep up the pace that he'd been doing when he'd taken off her dress. Now, he was taking his time, kissing everywhere but where she needed it most. As his lips traveled up her inner thigh, her hands found his hair, forcing him to look at her. "You know...what I want!" she hissed. "Don't be a...tease."

He smirked at her, all bright white teeth and flashing eyes. "Then this would be over quickly. I'd like to draw this out as _long_ as possible." His tongue flicked just inside the folds of her sex, drawing a small sound from her. "Don't worry. I won't be going back on my promise from earlier. You'll enjoy every minute of my plans for you."

Before she could return that they had all the time in the world to do that _later_, his mouth dipped against her core, drawing a gasp from her. His tongue was doing...delicious things she hadn't thought possible. By no means was she a virgin, but had it ever been so intense? Was this part of being a vampire, feeling so intensely that she was sure that her orgasm would be explosive? If he kept up the rhythm he was, she was going to come a lot faster than he had probably anticipated.

Then he slipped one finger inside of her and she nearly went insane.

With a quick lick, he said roughly, "Gods, Caroline, what you do to me," before setting in once more, driving her closer and closer to a peak she desperately reached for, could feel just beyond her grasp. If he just did _that_ a little more...

A ringing sounded from his pocket at that moment, making both of them freeze.

Klaus snarled, trying to ignore it as he crawled back up Caroline's body. "I am _not_ letting that interrupt us," he growled, dipping to kiss her. The phone gave a shrill shriek to signal a missed call, only to start ringing once again. "Damnit, this is not happening!" he roared as he dug his phone out of his pocket, lifting himself off of her. With a glance at the caller, he clicked the phone on and hissed, "This had better be good, Rebekah. You're _interrupting_."

Caroline sat up, watching as his face slackened at whatever his sister said in return. When his vampire face came to full fruition, she backed up a bit on the bed, clutching the comforter between her fingers.

Without saying anything else, he crushed the phone in his hand, turning a glare to her. As he snatched his shirt, yanking it over his head, he ordered darkly, "Don't even think about trying to follow me. You'll stay here until I return for you."

Then he disappeared, leaving her to pull on her clothes. She moved to the door, realizing that he hadn't compelled her, as if he _trusted_ her. But that didn't mean that she was going to leave him to fight by himself.

Throwing open the door, she found herself face to face with a dark haired woman who smiled darkly. "Hello, Caroline," she purred. "Long time no see." In a flash she had her hand around Caroline's throat, clenching it with supernatural strength. "I see you've wriggled your way into the Originals' good graces. At least you're doing _something_ useful." Tightening her fingers, she lifted Caroline higher. "Now, you'll be coming with me. I need you for something important."

The blonde's hands grabbed at the hand around her neck as she choked, "No," as if that would stop her. She knew who this woman was with just what she'd said. Katerina, her creator, stood before her, nearly crushing her windpipe.

"Oh? Yeah, I can tell that you and Niklaus have been a bit..._busy_ tonight." Katerina shrugged. "Doesn't matter much to me. We're leaving now. You can either come quietly or I can snap your neck to keep you quiet."

In answer, Caroline narrowed her eyes, twisting the other woman's wrist until her hold broke and she could twist her so Katerina was the one standing in the hotel room. "Here's for ditching me, _bitch_," she snarled, kicking the brunette in the back. As she stumbled inside, the blonde turned, bolting. No way was she sticking around for an older vampire to rip her head off. _Maybe I can catch up to Klaus, tell him that she's _here_._

As she ran, she searched frantically for a telltale sign of the Hybrid. When she found none, she tried to remember how to get back to the mansion, tried to remember the direction they'd come from. If she could just get there, she'd be safe. Safer than if she stuck around this area.

Suddenly, she was yanked back, a back-handed slap slamming her against a brick wall. "You little bitch," Katerina hissed, her face contorted as her fangs flashed menacingly. "I made you to be a pawn and pawns never come after the queen!" Then she was standing above Caroline's shuddering form, one foot on either side, smirking down. "I'll have you know that there's nothing you can do to beat me. I've got so many hurdles between you and your precious Klaus that he won't be around to help you out any time soon. You might as well—"

Caroline kicked her leg up, the toes of her shoe meeting Katerina's back to throw her forward, her head smacking brutally against the bricks. "Would you just _shut up_?" she said, rolling out from under the older vampire, who then fell to the ground. Though the blonde wanted to say more as she stood, she knew better.

Instead, she ran. In no particular direction, but she would find somewhere to hide before the sun rose.

-.-.-.-.-

Klaus burst into the warehouse, bellowing, "Katerina, bring her to me! Bring me my sister!" Adrenaline coursed through him, making it nearly impossible for him to keep his transformation under control. He was filled with blinding fury, first because she had torn him away from a _begging _Caroline who was more than ready to be with him, second because the little bitch had _taken his sister_.

How the hell she'd gotten one over on Rebekah, he would never know.

No sounds came from the abandoned building. Instead, he had to use his nose, searching through the warehouse for even a brief scent of something familiar.

Suddenly, he could smell blood as he approached an old conveyor belt. He snarled, following the obnoxious odor—spilt Original blood held a certain _disgusting_ quality to it—until he saw his sister's foot. Leaping over machinery and debris, he found her, head twisted in an obvious sneaking-neck-break. So, Katerina had ambushed Rebekah? No doubt she'd used one of her Salvatore bastards to distract her.

Setting her neck to rights, he waited impatiently for her to awake, thinking of what he had been so close to gaining. _Caroline, blonde hair spread across the pillows, crying out his name for the whole world..._

Rebekah suddenly breathed in deeply, choking as she sat up, fangs flashing. "You little—Nik?" She blinked up at him with big blue-green eyes that widened instantly, searching the space behind him. "Nik, where is Caroline?" she demanded, on her feet in a blink. "She's going to take her, Nik! She's going to use her!"

Klaus flinched, mouth dropping open slightly. That had been Katerina's plan? To take Caroline? _I shouldn't have left her..._ Grabbing Rebekah's shoulders, he snarled, "Go back to the mansion. Tell the others everything you know. I'll go get Caroline." _Please let her still be there._ "Tell them that Katerina Petrova is to be killed on sight." With that, he turned away, dashing back towards the hotel.

He stopped when he saw the bricks lying on the ground, small traces of blood on them. He didn't doubt that it was a vampire fight that had taken place there, which meant Caroline had fought her attacker. From the scent of it, they'd both taken off in different directions—one going deeper into the city while the other took a direct path to the mansion.

Somehow, he doubted Caroline was the one going straight for him since she had no idea how to get back.

Turning in the direction of the wayward woman, he cursed. If she died because she could find nowhere to go before the sun rose...

_...Katerina, you have resigned your death warrant in such stronger ink._

_Lulu, this is for you! Sorry that it wasn't as long as I promised, but I hope it kinda sorta brightened your day a little! I've found the blueprints. Now we just need a power source. (:_


	10. Hurricane

_So, this is up on Tumblr, just in case. It will be updated there at the same as here, so if it isn't up every week or so, I would go check there. I will try to message everyone on the Alert list if I can't update on FF anymore._

_And that's the last you'll be seeing my blatant Tumblr promotions. Lol._

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Vampire Diaries.

Chapter Ten

_Do you really want me dead or alive,  
to torture for all my sins?_

The sun was rising and the best place she had found to hide was an alleyway that would soon be completely submerged in light. As fear of the pain that would accompany that foray into the sunlight tore through her, she tried desperately to find a window or a door that she could duck inside.

A few stories up—already touched by sunlight—was a window sill. She knew that she could jump up there, easily break the window, but if it was a human's home, she was screwed. There was no way that she could get inside and she would already be burning. But if she didn't, she would just be left here, waiting for the sun to get her.

So should she jump into the fire or hope that someone will come and help before she was burned alive?

Taking a deep breath, she crouched down, readying herself mentally and physically to leap up. She had to get this right on the first try or else she might be in too much pain to try again.

She swallowed just before she thrust herself up, slamming her fist through the glass despite the burning erupting throughout her. Grabbing onto the inside of the window, she threw herself inside the building, plummeting down to a concrete floor.

Great. It was just her luck that she would end up in one of the warehouses, laying on the floor with her leg broken, burnt on her back and arms, with no blood to heal. Even after night fell, she might not be able to do much more than stumble around. Shivering at the thought of losing control with some innocent human, she reset her leg, biting her lip to keep from crying out.

No, she wouldn't let it come to that. She would be stronger than that. She had to be.

Watching the stream of sunlight coming down through the window, she slid herself under a dusty conveyor belt. She would just have to wait and hope for the best.

-.-.-.-.-

He hated himself in the hours he searched for her. If he had just given her the daylight ring, she wouldn't be in such danger right now. One night wouldn't have killed her right?

Except that it almost had.

_You will lose all that's important to you._ The words of his enemy rang through his head as he ran towards the warehouse district at break-neck speed, making him all the more furious. When he found her, he would lock her away until he had destroyed everyone that was a threat to them. And he would make all their deaths slow and painful. Starting with that damned Katerina.

In an alley, he stopped, listening intently for any sign of her. The sight of blonde curls, the smell of her light natural scent, maybe even the sound of a human crying out in pain. The thirst had to be overriding all of her rational thoughts; she was too young to do much else.

That was when he heard it, the sound of glass shattering and flesh sizzling. Despite the cars racing past, he could clearly hear it...perhaps a mile to the east. It had to be her, breaking into a building to escape the sunlight. She was smart, knew well enough that she would have to disappear into darkness if she wanted to make it. She would be steeling herself for the inevitable attack she'd make on a human once the sun set, preparing herself to try to keep them relatively unscathed.

He darted in her direction, catching the scent of her spilled blood which pushed him to move faster still. He contemplated calling Elijah, getting a car delivered along with some blood. If he wanted to get to her in time, he couldn't waste a moment even pulling out his cellphone.

Darting into yet another alley, Klaus glanced around before looking up, finding the window she had to have crawled through. Or jumped into. His heart stopped as he realized that it was directly in the line of the ray of light that now filled the alley; she had to have gotten burned.

Hissing an oath to tear apart that damned Petrova the moment he found her, Klaus reveled in the fantasies of her death that rolled through his mind. Anything to make it more painful than anything she had ever before experienced. For Caroline to have felt so much desperation...what if she hadn't made it through the window? No doubt she would have burst into flames and been left as nothing but ash for him to find.

The thought of losing her so soon...no.

He raced to the front of the building, kicking the heavy door open with ease. The building had been condemned because of its shaky structure; the old owner had been more corrupt than most, wasting no money on his employees safety. The machinery was easily broken, the foundation slipping into the ground after dozens of poorly repaired pipes had burst.

"Caroline!" he called, his voice reverberating throughout the echoing structure. "Love, I'm here; come out!"

For a moment, it was silent throughout the building. He took several steps inside, searching for her before he heard her voice.

"K-Klaus?"

It was weak, broken, but it was there. She was so close, but she had hidden herself from view. With her blood trailing from the window across the floor, it would be easy enough for him to find her. But, God, he hated that she had had to go through that. The fact that she had been forced into a battle with Katerina, to run into the depths of London _alone_...his heart was breaking at the same time as rage boiled in his blood.

A dangerous combination.

Suddenly, he saw her, pulling herself out from beneath an old conveyor belt. Her leg was broken in a grotesque manner, though it was obvious that she had forced it into its original position. In a flash, he was kneeling before her, holding his arms out as if he could pick her up. But her burns and wounds would hurt if he touched them; the burns had barely begun to heel, doing so at a slow pace.

Making a split second decision, he bit open his wrist, thrusting it towards her mouth. "Drink," he ordered, though he didn't have to. Just the sight of blood made her dive for his flesh, her tongue flicking out to catch the line of blood before her fangs sank into his skin.

She drank greedily, eyes rolling back behind her lids in ecstasy. He could hardly contain a groan himself. Having her so close, watching her skin heal...it reminded him of their time together the night before. The knowledge that she was safe in his arms after a night of searching, that she was his and knew that herself...he couldn't help his body's reaction.

When her skin pinkened and regenerated, leaving her unmarked, he gently pulled his arm away, cradling her close to him. She whimpered, reaching forward to take it back, but he hushed her. "No, no more, Caroline. Right now, we've got to get you back to the mansion." Taking her ring out of his pocket—but he was grateful that he'd thought to keep it on him throughout her time without it—he slipped it on her finger, slowly putting her on her feet. "Can you walk?" he asked gently, keeping his arm around her waist while his opposite hand held hers.

She nodded weakly. "Yeah, I'm pretty much healed. I just..." Her voice drifted off and her eyes met his, a certain amount of sadness and pain reflecting within them. "I'm sorry, Klaus. I...I should have listened about Katherine. When she was there...she seriously wanted to kill me."

Her tone implied emotional pain, as if she had actually _cared_ what that selfish bitch thought of her. As if she had expected anything less.

Just another reason for him to hate Katerina—Katherine as she was obviously going by now.

"Come on," he said, keeping his voice bland so she wouldn't pick up on his anger. His hold on her stayed firm as he guided her towards the door. "We're leaving."

-.-.-.-.-

Caroline had been silent as he'd called the driver as well as the entire way back. She'd moved lazily through the house to her room, her eyes blank. He knew that she really did care quite a bit about why she'd been forced into the world of vampires; to hear from her creator that she was nothing more than a disposable pawn had to kill her.

But he did nothing to speak to her. Instead, he let her go, let her sulk, so she would not see his fury. Once she'd disappeared from sight, he'd moved into the deepest parts of the house, throwing his anger into slamming his fists through walls and ripping through innocent furniture. He'd calmed down after an hour or two of that and went to the study, snatching his favorite bottle of liquor from the cabinet and chugging it straight. No reason for a glass when your intention was to drink yourself into a stupor.

And that was where he was when Elijah entered the room, his eyes blazing but his face bland.

They'd sat in silence for awhile until the older Mikaelson spoke. "Brother, perhaps you should slow down; I'm sure Caroline needs you at your best tonight." Though he would be the last to admit it, Elijah had taken an instant liking to the baby vampire, enjoying her easy banter and the power she held over Klaus. "If Katerina really did try to kill her...you can imagine the state she must be in."

"Which is why I'm drinking," The Hybrid snarled, taking another swig. "Otherwise, I won't be able to control the need to leave Caroline alone once again to go rip Katerina's head off myself. That she would use her this way...she deserves to suffer."

Elijah raised an eyebrow, his hands coming together in front of his face as he put his ankle on top of his knee. "Do you really want to kill her? She must have some bigger purpose; she always does. Don't you want to know it?"

"No. I want her dead."

They were quiet once again, sitting in companionable silence as tension filled the air.

Rebekah abruptly burst in, picking up a lamp to throw it across the room. "What the hell does that bitch think she's doing?" she shrieked as the glass shattered, falling to the ground. "Did she think that we would let her hurting Caroline off _lightly_? I will rip out her heart with my own hands!" She spun on Klaus, suddenly in front of him. Lifting him, she threw him as far as she could, hissing, "And you just left her alone, to fend for herself! You drag her to some hotel because of your own jealousy and this is where we end up! You're idiocy nearly got her killed!"

Standing, Klaus wiped blood and alcohol from his lips with the back of his hand, smirking darkly. "Is that affection I hear in your voice, Bekah? Aren't you the one who first wanted to kill her?" Going to stand toe to toe with her, he growled, "Be glad that you are my sister and I know that you are prone to tantrums. Otherwise, this would not be taken lightly."

Elijah stood, breaking the two apart as Rebekah opened her mouth to retort. "That's enough," he said simply, glancing to both of them. "We need to come up with a plan if we're going to protect her. What Katerina wants right now is for us to distrust each other. It will make it that much easier for her to do whatever it is she plans." Pushing them farther away from each other roughly, he added, "Right now, we need a plan for attack. And to find her."

"I'm in," Sage, who had been standing in the doorway, said. She was followed into the room by both Finn and Kol, who looked just as furious. She stuck her hand out, like a member of some American football team in a huddle. "Let's take her down."

"She's done enough to our family," Finn agreed, placing his hand on top of hers.

Kol slapped his hand down, too, snarling, "I hate that woman."

Giving the gesture an odd look, Elijah placed his hand on the top, along with Rebekah. Neither of them said anything and everyone glanced to Klaus, waiting for his reaction. They knew he hated having to wait and plan; he wanted revenge, swift and true.

Growling, he said, "Fine. But if it doesn't work, we do things my way."

_I'm so sorry for the late update! So much shit has been going down...I'll try to get the next chapter up quickly._


	11. Angel With A Shotgun

_It looks like everyone is enjoying the Originals coming together! I got messages and reviews (both here and on Tumblr) calling for more Team Original! Let's see where that takes us, shall we?_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Vampire Diaries.

Chapter Eleven

_They say before you start a war  
you better know what you're fighting for._

Caroline blinked open her eyes as she woke, hands tightening in the material they pressed against. A long, strong arm wrapped around her waist pulled her closer to the chest in her face. She knew that it was Klaus, that he had slept in her bed the night before. She was sure that it was the only reason she didn't cry to herself in sleep.

Glancing up at his face, she couldn't help noticing how innocent he looked, even with the fierceness still there. He reminded her of a child with a coveted toy, a thought that made her smile. If she ever let that little information slip, she would probably never get to see him this way ever again. His nose twitched suddenly, like someone was tickling it. She could barely see it, but she was sure that one of her hairs was on his nose, making him make such a bunny-like face. Reaching up, she tried not to touch him as she pulled the hair free, hoping to keep this moment for awhile.

Klaus's eyes flew open, catching sight of her. A crooked smile on his face, he tightened his arm around her, bringing her closer as a flush brightened her cheeks. "Love, I hope you're planning to spend the rest of the day in bed. Because that's what I intend to do." His eyes flashed as he leaned down towards her, pulling her head closer to his. Lips descending on her collarbone, he murmured, "I would like to finish what we started yesterday."

Stiffening for a moment at the mention of the day before, she felt him do the same against her. But his kisses didn't stop; instead, his hands moved against her, drawing all of her right places to all of his right places.

She couldn't help moaning, arched closer to him. "Mmm...Klaus, I..." Her voice drifted off as his mouth moved over her and his tongue darted against her, leaving her thought unfinished. What had she been about to say? Would she have thanked him for everything he's done for her? Would she have begged him to just continue where they had left off, to make her forget all about the night before?

Or would she just be crying out his name?

Unfortunately, no matter what would have continued, it wasn't meant to be. There was a sudden knock on the door, though they hardly noticed. Instead, the intruder on their time moved into the room without so much as a glance towards the couple. Caroline gasped at the interruption, pushing away from Klaus, who didn't stop from his ministrations. "Stop!" she finally hissed, grabbing his head by his hair and thrusting him away.

"Oh, don't mind me," Rebekah answered with her back turned to them so she could rifle through Caroline's closet. "I'm just looking for something that's suitable for shopping. Retail therapy happens to work wonders." Her tone was dry and almost bored, but there was that underlying hint of relief at having seen Caroline for herself. Though the female Original would never admit it, she considered the baby vampire her friend, the first in centuries. She wasn't sure if she could lose her.

Besides, she enjoyed the way Caroline didn't allow Klaus to walk all over her.

Finally, Klaus got the hint, pulling his lips away from her tantalizing skin so he could sit up and pull her into his side. "Bekah, don't you have a closet filled with things I bought specifically for you? Shouldn't you choose from _those_?"

That was when the youngest sibling spun around, a poorly-executed shocked look on her face. "One of these for _moi_? I don't think so, Nik. I'm choosing something for _her_; I wouldn't be caught dead in a pair of jeans that were probably purchased at _Target_." Turning back around, she tossed over her shoulder, "Anyways, Caro, would you go off and get ready for the day? It makes you seem extremely lazy if you spend the entirety of the morning—and most of the afternoon—in bed."

With a small smile playing on her lips, Caroline did as the older vampire asked, disengaging herself from Klaus to move towards the bathroom. She loved the frown that played on his face, as well as the look of pure fury that he sent Rebekah. It was strange to watch such powerful creatures fighting over something as trivial as shopping, to watch two beings that she knew were over a thousand years old carry on like...well, siblings. She wondered if she could have maybe done that had she been given a sibling.

Would she have loved them any less after a few centuries?

Rebekah didn't even look away from the closet as two hangers perched on one of her fingers for Caroline to take, still digging through the excess. "Honestly, I don't understand why you insist on wearing your own clothes rather than the ones Nik bought you. These are absolutely dreadful! Have you ever seen the like?!" she added dramatically, turning her attention to her older brother. "This is ridiculous and you enable her! She must learn that black can't be the go-to color for her!"

"Bekah," Klaus growled in warning. "Maybe it's time for you to leave, give 'Caro' and I some _privacy_?"

She scoffed at him, turning her attention to Caroline. Hands on her hips, she demanded, "Can you believe this, Caro? He would actually kick out his only sister for a little trounce with you! Can you believe this?! I get no love in this house!"

Just as she spoke, Kol came through the door, glancing at Klaus. "Ah, there you are! I was looking for you so I could speak to you about something. It seems that the women—Sage, Rebekah, and Caroline—are going out shopping. Elijah is out, so you, Finn, and I need to have us a little chat, yeah?" He looked over at the two females in the room, raising a hand in a short wave. "Good morning, then. Just gotta get my brother out of here. It's time for him to be The Big Bad Wolf while you go off and buy frilly things."

Rebekah rolled her eyes, looking back at Caroline. "Well, I suppose that's our cue to leave, Caro. My brothers will no doubt argue about this until they are blue in the face." Suddenly in the doorway, the older vampire waved her hand impatiently for Caroline to follow. "Come on, now. We'll go to my room. If I don't like that outfit on you, I'll let you borrow something of mine—only this once!"

"Okay," Caroline answered with a small grin before she turned to Klaus. Giving him a soft kiss on the cheek, she murmured, "I'll see you later today."

His hand shot out, grabbing her wrist before she could move. His eyes soft, he whispered, "Stay with me today," and her heart started to melt for him right then and there. But then his attention turned to his siblings. "Go away. Caroline will spend today with me and no one else. If she is really in such dire need of new clothes—which we already bought just a week or two ago, as I remember—I will take her. And Kol, you and Finn may talk about whatever you like and inform me tomorrow."

Klaus rose from the bed, pulling a shocked Caroline behind him to drag her out. Once they were out into the hallway, with Rebekah and Kol close behind, The Hybrid stopped, turning to Caroline to say, "How would you like to go to Paris today? Just for a bit," he added quickly, probably noticing the change in her face.

She'd never been to Paris before, hadn't thought about it since getting tied up with the Originals. Since she was little more than a child, she'd always wanted to go to the City of Romance. She'd dreamed that she would go there, a beautiful young woman, and find her prince charming, a man that would sweep her off her feet and marry her in a flurry. He would take her from Mystic Falls, from her life of near poverty, and treat her like a queen. They would have dozens of babies before dying old and gray in his palace, entire nations crying over their loss.

Just like Princess Diana.

Sadness erupted in the pit of her stomach, remembering that she wouldn't have children, wouldn't grow old with anyone. She was stuck in the same rut, the same body, the same age...forever. Frozen. She was a murderer, a fiend, a monster that no one would mourn.

Averting her gaze, she kept her voice quiet so he wouldn't be able to hear the tears in her throat. "I'd actually rather not with...you know...everything that's happened."

The silence after her words stretched out between the four of them before she heard Klaus wave the others away. For once, there was no argument; the younger Mikaelsons left without a word, without daring to ask either what was the matter. They knew that to do so was idiotic, for Klaus would not allow them to see the weakness this baby vampire was desperately trying to hide.

As they disappeared, Caroline fought the urge to wipe her arm across her face, instead kept her eyes steadily on the ground. After all that had happened to her, one breakdown shouldn't mean that much, right? In the grand scheme of things, she should be on her knees, begging God why it had to be her. Why she had to be the one to go through all of this. It could have just as easily been one of the other girls in her high school, one of the other girls in Virginia. Hell, any other girl in the world.

But it had to be her. She had to do this.

And it _sucked_.

She was missing out on all the normal life moments for humans, everything that had ever meant anything to her. All because of some vampire bitch. She could have had so much more, something much more fulfilling. Had she wanted eternity, a life without end or to die of some human ailment?

Humanity was so much more than this.

"Caroline," Klaus suddenly breathed, gently grasping her chin. When she stubbornly refused to look up at him, not wanting him to see her tears, he sighed, releasing her face to pull her against him. His arms went tight around her as they had never been, burying his face in her hair. He murmured in her ear, "I'm sorry for what you've lost, love. But I would like to show you what you can gain. Please, allow me this one thing."

She said nothing, just let him cradle her to him.

_I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I really loved writing it, getting some of the dynamic out there of the relationship between...everybody. And before you ask, Elijah is off doing Katherine-related things. They'll find her pretty quickly... (;_


	12. Lovefool

_Yes, last chapter was a bit of a filler, but it was necessary if I wanted to move on to this one. So please be patient with me!_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Vampire Diaries.

Chapter Twelve

_So I cry and I pray and I beg:  
Love me, love me._

The next few days were full of scenes that the three Mikaelson siblings who remained at the mansion had never thought they would ever see in their eternal lives. They were so shocked by the turn of events that they hardly noticed the time passing with no news from their eldest brother. Instead, they tried to creep around, keeping firm eyes on the pair that seemed to haunt the mansion like ghosts.

Caroline was little more than a shell of her former self—no doubt from the revelation that Katherine had created her to kill her—and Klaus was going mad with his efforts to gain a smile, a change in her mood. The blonde gave rare responses to the vaguest of questions as if everything else were too hard to handle.

It had The Hybrid nearly pulling his hair out in a bid to please her, running around trying to find something that would make her return to the enthusiastic baby vampire she had been when they'd first met. He would go out for an hour at a time, returning with more and more gifts, starting with flowers and chocolates before working up to diamonds and other jewelry. All of which she would kindly turn down with a sad smile on her face.

Sage and Rebekah desperately tried to incorporate Caroline in their feminine routines, only to find themselves being pushed even farther away. Kol wanted nothing more than to push her buttons, but nothing would get to her in the way it had before and the only reaction he would truly get was Klaus snarling in his face and throwing him bodily from the room. Finn suggested that everyone give her the space she needed to come to terms with the fact that her creator had wanted her as a pawn; the sooner she moved past it, the sooner she would return to her former self.

But Klaus was more than desperate, something they had only seen of him when Henrik had died. He was tirelessly trying to make her feel better, trying to brighten up her outlook, but it was obvious that she couldn't hear a word he said. Nothing was making it past the wall of uselessness within her.

Each day, the hybrid would grow more agitated, snarling and growling under his breath more and more as his eyes flickered between blue and gold. The entire household became uneasy, waiting for the other shoe to fall. Anything could happen when it came to Klaus and anyone could be caught in the crossfire. But they couldn't exactly avoid him until he exploded; that was putting Caroline at risk.

After nearly a week, it seemed that he could take no more.

Caroline hadn't left their bed in almost two days, staring listlessly out the window as if some all important life lesson was written there. She was hardly even drinking blood; if she had any, it would be a small sip. Her face was growing thin and gaunt, paler than usual. Her hair fell against her face in disarray, her hands crossed in her lap. None of her natural exuberance showed in the shell that laid there.

Kol and Finn had finally convinced Klaus that he had to get out of the house, give her some space. They could spend a little time at the bar and discuss the problems the family was facing. Rebekah and Sage could take care of Caroline if she needed them. And they would call if something happened.

But alcohol was not the thing to give to the distracted Original. The moment he reached his highest level of drunkenness in _decades_, he was out the door, making his furious way back to the mansion before they could stop him. He stormed up the stairs without responding to anyone's questioning calls nor hesitation.

Instead, he burst into the bedroom he shared with Caroline, snarling when even that gained no reaction from her. Snatching her up by her upper arms, he ignored her gasp at his sudden roughness and buried his teeth in her neck, pulling away as the wound took hold. Her eyes widened for the briefest second as he laid her down on the bed, covering her with his crouching form.

"This ends now," he growled. "If you wish to die, I'll let you. If you really think you hold no purpose, then I'll look you in the dungeon and let you die as pathetically as you please." The other Originals that had gathered in the doorway started to argue at that, trying to pull him back to sanity, but he snapped his teeth at them from over his shoulder. "Is living any better for her like this? Should I just let her slowly starve herself to death? If she wants to be a pathetic flea, I'll let her die like one." His attention turned back on her, his eyes narrowed. "Do you want to die? Because of some selfish female you don't even know?

"You have all of us here. Elijah has been gone for a week trying to track down Katerina because she dared hurt you. Rebekah and Sage have been trying to bring you out to show you that you have a purpose. Kol has tried to show you that her intention for turning you meant nothing. And I have been doing everything possible to show you that I care." His voice cracked just a bit, but he didn't let the strength leave his tone. Raising one wrist to his mouth, ready to bite into it, he murmured, "It's your choice. I can save your life right here and now. I can make sure you heal from that wound. Or I can take you to the dungeon and let you die alone in a dank, dark place. Whichever you want, I'll allow."

Her eyes fluttered briefly before sliding closed, tears beginning to glisten off the edge of her eyelashes. Without opening them, she whispered brokenly, "I don't want to die. But I'm not supposed to be alive. She chose me at random and she could have chosen anyone else. I had plans, I had dreams, and now they're all gone. Every one of them. And she just wants to kill me anyways!" With that, she broke down completely, her fingers twisting in the material of his shirt, dragging herself up to sob openly into his chest.

Flinching at the feel of her tears against his skin, he gently stroked her hair as he shifted them to the edge of the bed, knowing that he had to let her cry. This might be the only way for her to move on. He glanced up at his siblings, jerking his head just enough for them to know he wanted them out though he didn't disturb the baby vampire in his arms. He tried to think of how someone would go about comforting another without words or presents and began gently rocking them, humming lightly under his breath some long forgotten song that he'd heard other kids' parents singing to them in his human life.

It seemed like an eternity before she stopped, the wound at her neck beginning to fester. He grew uncomfortable, wanting to force his blood down her throat. Would she call his bluff? He couldn't kill her now any easier than he could at the ball that night. Somehow, she got beneath his skin with just a look and he wasn't about to give her up for any reason. If she asked him to let her die, he would compel her to want to stay alive, no matter the cost.

Because he was in love with her. With this fragile woman lying in his arms like a broken child.

Just as he was about to go through with his plan, the words of compulsion on the tip of his tongue, she turned her eyes up to him, watery green orbs calling out to him. "I'm...I'm sorry," she breathed, a small smile coming to her face as her hand gently stroked his cheek. "I made you go through all this for me, and I shouldn't have. Please forgive me, Nik."

His heart stopped at the use of the nickname. It sounded like perfection rolling off her lips and he could do little more than stare at her for a few seconds, even as sweat began peppering her brow. Then, staring into her eyes, he ripped open his wrist with his teeth, forcing it to her mouth.

Her fangs immediately sank in, sucking at his arm as her eyes rolled back into her head. He watched as the wound he had created began stitching itself back together. Once he pulled his appendage away, she gave a slow sigh of relief that he doubted she realized escaped from her. Eyelids fluttering once again—with fatigue, perhaps—he laid her gently on the bed, letting her head fall back against the pillows.

As he went to stand, her small hand—color and fullness returning slowly—caught his. Blue eyes meeting green, she asked, "Would you please stay with me? I'm so tired."

Unable to speak, he crawled into the bed, allowing her to cuddle into him as his arms wrapped around her. Pulling her just a little bit closer, Klaus murmured, "Would you like some blood? You haven't had enough this week."

She shook her head. "It can wait until morning," she replied drowsily before curling into him and falling asleep, her breath soft against his chest. His hand played idly within her hair, twirling it between his fingers as he watched her sleep peacefully for the first time since she'd met Katherine. He couldn't help pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead before sinking deeper into the bed, allowing himself to fall asleep as well.

Dreams of her ran rampant through his mind, making him unconsciously pull her ever closer.

-.-.-.-.-

"What do you mean by 'you died'? We're Originals!" Klaus roared into his cellphone as Elijah spoke on the other side of the phone. "They are barely a century and a half old! Shouldn't you have been able to overpower them?"

He could hear Elijah shift, brushing himself off as he spoke. _"I was a bit distracted by who I thought was Katerina running around throwing vervain grenades at my face. We've all had our suspicions that finding the Salvatores meant finding Katerina, but I suppose I should have paid more attention to her. If she is a vampire, she's quite young."_

Klaus froze. Katherine's lookalike? As in a doppelganger? But the line was supposed to end after he destroyed the curse; hadn't the woman he'd sacrificed for her blood been the last Petrova?

Unless she'd had a child and that child a child. She had been twenty at the time which meant that her child would be roughly forty now...the perfect age to have a daughter running around with the Salvatores. But he couldn't be sure that this wasn't a ploy by Katherine; she knew that they would kill her on sight. Perhaps she was playing a role.

Because he'd been certain that there was no one with Petrova blood left.

"Are you sure it wasn't Katherine? She's quite the actress, if I remember right." He hadn't meant the sting for Elijah, though he realized his mistake when the other end was oddly silent. She'd played the eldest Mikaelson in a bid for her freedom, just as she had played the Salvatores. The fact that she had planned to use Caroline as a shield or pawn of some sort was strange; she usually wanted men that were completely loyal to her.

_"Both of the brothers called out a name. Elena. That's what she's called. And both were abhorrent to the idea of traveling with Katerina in any case. I do not believe they would have protected her as they did." _Klaus could hear something crack on the other end, assumed it was Elijah's neck. It was hell on the muscles to die. _"Damon actually had the nerve to stab me through with a banister. I believe I will snap his neck the next time I see him."_

"If they aren't working with Katherine, why did they fight so hard?" Klaus wondered, twirling a pen in his fingers. "It doesn't make sense to do so when they have no true way to kill us. They know that we'll just grow angry and attack if they keep it up."

He could hear Elijah turning on his car. _"I don't know. But I distinctly remember hearing them discussing 'Vampire Barbie', who I can only assume is Caroline. I am sure they haven't gone far. We will discuss the other things I've learned in the past week when I return."_

Giving a quick affirmation, Klaus clicked off the call, frowning. The Salvatores and another doppelganger were involved in some way with the scheme Katherine was cooking up. If they didn't find out what that plan was and where the evil bitch was that was concocting, Caroline would be in danger.

And he wasn't going to allow that.

_Longest chapter for this story! Hope you all liked it. Expect Salvatores and Elena in the next chapter, as well as another scene between Klaus and Caroline._


	13. Dangerous

_We're coming up quick on the climax of our story! I hope you all are prepared for the awesome battle between Katherine and our young heroine. (;_

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Vampire Diaries.

Chapter Thirteen

_Jezebel, you're dangerous;  
you know you'll get away with it._

For the next few days, Klaus was constantly on edge, though he remained close to Caroline's side. Other than a few secretive phone calls to his eldest brother, the Hybrid was there when she woke up and when she fell back to sleep. It would have annoyed her before she came to the ball where she'd met him, since she hated to be coddled.

But with him, she actually encouraged it.

She was quickly coming to realize that the short time she had been in the house with him had led her onto a path of truly loving him. Maybe it wasn't forever-and-always but it was strong and it was definitely love. And she had a feeling he felt that way, too. Would he have wasted so much time on rescuing her, first from Katherine, then from herself, if he didn't? Would he curl around her so tightly at night, like she might disappear, if he only thought of her as an intriguing baby vampire?

So, she decided it was time for her to show him how she felt, to prove to him that this was more than just a game of hide-and-seek for her.

"Nik?" she asked quietly from her spot on the couch opposite him, knowing that he would give her anything she wanted with just that use of nickname. His eyes immediately darted up from his current sketch to catch hers, a small—if tense—smile curling on his lips. She could hardly contain her grin in response.

His eyes lit up with something like happiness—which came rarely since Elijah had left—as he went back to his drawing. "Yes, love? Is there something you need?" The rough, husky texture of his voice made her want to dump all her plans on the floor and just do it now.

But she needed everything to be perfect. "Do you think it would be all right if Rebekah and Sage and I went out shopping today? I really miss having girls' days back home." She just couldn't let him come with. No, she had to make sure he didn't know what her big surprise was. Besides, she really _did_ need a girls' day; there was quite a bit of testosterone in the Mikaelson house and she was nearly desperate to get away from it for just a bit. When she wasn't being hounded by Klaus—no pun intended—or Kol, Finn was gently trying to incorporate her in his own way. And when she answered Elijah's calls, he was always just a little gruff, like he was furious at the situation.

His eyebrow lifted in question before he spared her a slow glance, closing the sketchbook altogether. "I don't think that's a good idea. Katerina has already gotten one over on Rebekah before; I'm not sure I can rely on her for your safety now." Standing, he left the book on the couch, moving towards her on the other sofa lazily. A smile played on his lips as he sat just beside her feet, pulling them into his lap to massage them. "However, if you'd like to go shopping, I'll gladly take you," he offered in a low purr.

_Focus_, she reminded herself as his fingers worked out kinks she hadn't known were there. _Gotta get him to let you go with the girls!_ "But that defeats the purpose of a girls' day; before I was turned, my friends and I would go on trips like that weekly." She dropped her voice to a low, sad murmur, not above manipulation. "But I guess that's something I'll just have to learn to live without."

"No, wait," he said quickly. "If you bring several of my hybrids with you—as back up, if you will—then I will see to it that you have your time out and about."

Unable to help herself, she sat up, reaching a hand out to cup his cheek, resting her forehead against his. "Thank you," she murmured, her eyes drifting briefly to his lips. She remembered their kiss from that night in the bar, the time they'd spent together in the hotel room afterward, couldn't help the small shudder that went through her. At that movement, something flared in his eyes, warning her that his mind was on the same track.

So, hoping to calm them both, she pressed a light, chaste kiss to his lips, pulling back to watch his face.

In the time it took for her to draw a breath, his lips returned to hers, one of his hands buried in her hair to draw her even closer. His mouth moved over hers, pulling a reaction she had never felt before out of her. A small moan escaped her and that was all the suggestion he needed to deepen the kiss further. As his tongue moved within her mouth, he shifted so he was perched above her, the only place they touched where they kissed.

A growl seemed torn from his throat as his arm wrapped around her waist, hand touching the bare skin of her back beneath her T-shirt as he pulled her up to him, pulled her closer. She wondered if he was desperate for her or if he just wanted to know that she was alive, to remind himself that she was still there. She had always sensed the loneliness beneath his facade, but now she was sure that he had been waiting for her.

Because in this moment, they were each other's everything.

Unfortunately, the moment was broken—wasn't it always?—by someone bursting into the room, though the gasp of embarrassment was new. Both of their heads swung towards the noise, glares on both their faces. The one time they had seemed to have privacy and they were, once again, interrupted.

Caroline didn't know how any of them ever got laid.

All anger dissipated, however, when they got a good look at Elijah. His clothes were singed, as was his hair, making it abundantly clear that he had been involved in some sort of fire. Soot and dirt spread over his face and hands, though he still held the air of a king. Beside him was a woman with long, straight brown hair, her tanned complexion and heart-shaped face nearly making Caroline flinch.

It was Katherine in disguise. It had to be. There was no way that someone could look exactly like another in every way.

"Brother," Klaus snarled, standing quickly to thrust Caroline behind him protectively, "you dare to bring Katerina into my home after what she's done to Caroline?" The blonde vampire knew that the only reason he wasn't flying over to rip the brunette's head off was because he didn't want to leave her unguarded in this close proximity to her creator. "I should stick a dagger in your heart and call it even," he snarled.

Caroline gently wrapped her fingers around his upper arm, pulling him so that he was just slightly facing her. "Nik, I don't think that's Katherine," she murmured, watching the other woman. "She doesn't walk the right way. Katherine struts, this girl just kinda...moves."

And it was true. There was a confidence to her step, but not in a sensual way. It was more like the girl knew who she was and what she stood for. Though her face was a mirror image of Katherine's, her eyes and body language gave her away. But who was this person and why did she look so much like the vampire that had been causing stress on the household?

Klaus, however, wasn't taking any chances. He kept himself firmly between the two women, eyes never leaving the brunette. "You had better explain yourself, Elijah, or else I'll have you locked in a box with only this girl's heart as your company."

It was strange, Caroline thought, to see this ruthless side of Klaus so soon after he had been curled up with her on the couch. It was as if two people resided within him: Klaus, the Original Hybrid, and Nik, Caroline's lover. If she hadn't faced both before, she might have been frightened of him. Of course, she knew that he wouldn't harm her, wouldn't let harm come to her; he had invested something in her that she wasn't sure anyone else had ever received from him.

"This, Niklaus, is Elena, the girl that helped the Salvatores run me through with a banister," Elijah answered, as if they were merely exchanging pleasant introductions. "It seems they have also had trouble with Katerina in the past and they would like to offer their assistance. However, they offer a bargain, not just simple help." The eldest brother turned to the woman—Elena—and motioned for her to step forward, to say her piece. "I suggest you tell him your stance and why you are here. I don't believe I can get across the point quite as...vulgarly as your friend Damon did."

Glancing at Elijah—as if he were her protection—Elena slowly stepped forward. Her eyes locked with Klaus's as she held her head high, no fear coming off her. Her voice was strong, steady as she spoke. "Damon has a lot of connections with Katherine's circle. He could help you find her and Stefan can help trap her. All we really want is for"—she looked back at Elijah briefly before continuing—"her to be gone."

Caroline's eyes widened and her gaze flew to Klaus's, wondering if he was as shocked as she was. Was there really such an easy way to get them on board? And what did this girl have to do with it all.

But if he was surprised in the least, he didn't show it. Instead, his mouth quirked up in an arrogant—deadly—smirk. "Oh? Please excuse my rudeness, but somehow I doubt the Salvatores are willing to help me after our...disagreements in the past. They seem to have a vendetta against me, have proven several times that they don't trust me in the least. Why would they offer their assistance in this now?"

"She's been trying to kill me," Elena answered easily, fear showing only in her eyes. "I'm the last of her line and I guess she would rather take the last doppelganger from you than keep up her relationships with them."

What the _hell_ was going on? Were these people talking in code so that Caroline wouldn't understand? What was this about doppelgangers and relationships? The blonde wished with everything in her that there was a handbook or something with these terms that would welcome her into the world of vampires, werewolves, witches, and hybrids.

Klaus let out a slow, hard laugh. "Ah, so here it comes. The selfish reason for wanting to help." He strode towards her, using his superior height to crowd her in. "I'll have you know that I don't _need_ doppelganger blood anymore; my hybrids are capable of making their own kind and I already have an army as it is." His voice turned low and threatening as those wicked canines started growing in his mouth, his face slowly changing. "And the Salvatores mean nothing to me. They aren't nearly powerful enough to fight alongside me. I should just do away with you—and them—and be done with this nonsense."

To the girl's credit, she didn't back done, just kept herself standing and ready. "We have something you don't, something much stronger than anything Katherine—or you—could come up with. She could be the turning point in this whole thing." Elena glanced to Caroline, gave her a small smile. "She can protect you and take down Katherine without a problem. She won't let you—or any of us—get hurt."

"And who is this person that is so all-knowing and all-powerful?" Klaus mocked, once again standing between Elena and Caroline to block their views of each other. "If she's so strong, why doesn't she just take Katerina down herself?"

"Bonnie Bennett is the last of the Bennett witches, at least of Ayanna's line." The name seemed to suck the oxygen out of the room. "Her powers are bound right now, but we know you have a witch that can unbind them. And she can't kill with her powers; she can keep her immobile while you guys decide what to do with her."

_This chapter is so short and it makes me sad. But I tried to make it longer and it would have dragged the next chapter into it and I can't do that. Then you guys will know everything too soon!_

My Tumblr URL is CeceVolume


	14. Love The Way You Lie

_All right, folks, there was some confusion about why Elena and Caroline didn't recognize each other last chapter (Mystic Falls being so small and such). I will explain more later why this is, but Elena was taken from Mystic Falls after she was born. The story behind that will reveal itself in the next chapte. I just want you to know that most of this is actually about Katherine's plans._

_Also, Elena is _not_ a vampire! That is important, too._

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Vampire Diaries.

Chapter Fourteen

_Even angels have their wicked schemes,  
and you take that to new extremes._

It was as if they were standing between two country's leaders that were currently locked in a cold war. Caroline stood behind the four Original brothers with Rebekah and Sage on either side of her, trying to get a clear look at the four people coming into the room from the other side. Of course, it had taken quite a bit of feminine wiles for her to be even allowed in the room, and Klaus had made her swear to stay close to him—which meant behind him in his mind—just in case their guests were liars.

She was a little surprised to see Damon from the bar standing there, imposing and smirking, knowing exactly who was hidden behind the Originals. There was another man, who she assumed was his brother as they were called the Salvatores, with light brown hair who had his arms crossed and a brooding expression on his face. Elena was forced behind them—just as Caroline herself was—with a dark-skinned woman next to her. The blonde vampire stiffened in distrust at the heavy weight of magic throughout the room the second the new woman came through.

"Stefan!" Klaus greeted loudly, a daring smile on his face as he gestured widely in welcome. "It has been too long, my friend. I had begun to think that you might have forgotten your old friend Nik." Those razor-sharp canines came into view as he shifted to better block Caroline from view, smirking dangerously. "But I suppose you only remember my friendship when you need something from me; isn't that right?"

Stefan—the brown-haired brother—stiffened briefly at the implication as Damon held Elena behind them easily, keeping her quiet. "I live in the States, Klaus," the other vampire replied coolly, regaining his composure. "I can't go around visiting everyone all over the world when I have school."

That sounded so incredibly…young, yet old coming from his mouth and Caroline could hardly contain a giggle, despite the circumstances. She had heard in her not-quite-a-year of vampirism that many vampires tried to acclimate to the times by acting the age that they had been changed at. But it would never cease to amaze her that someone well over a century old would go to high school decade after decade.

That sounded more like hell to her.

Taking a step forward, Elijah politely gestured for them to come further in the room. "We have much to discuss, I believe," he said diplomatically, his relaxed demeanor doing nothing for the tension emanating throughout the room. It felt as though there were a gas leak and they all waved open flames at each other. "Right this way."

As the Salvatore brothers moved forward, they stopped the following women with an arm thrust behind them, Damon's eyes catching the dark-skinned girl. "Stay here until I tell you guys to come in. Bonnie, you're in charge of keeping Elena safe from whomever else comes in here," he said with a certain charming smirk in his voice. "Stefan and I will go talk to the big boys and bring you in if they decide to"—his gaze went back to the Originals—"play nice."

Klaus and Kol lifted their lips in an obvious snarl, Rebekah and Sage stiffened beside Caroline, and Elijah and Finn just stood there, imposing in their silence. The blonde baby vampire couldn't help feeling a lot more uncomfortable as the violence became even more powerful throughout the room. It was practically suffocating her as it hung heavily in the air, threatening the silent truce between the two parties.

As the Salvatores moved past them—the Originals surrounding Caroline as her personal bodyguards—Bonnie held Elena back on the other side of the room, making it obvious that the witch didn't trust them in the least.

When Finn and Elijah followed the brothers inside, Caroline moved to go after them but found herself stopped by Klaus, who didn't even spare her a glance, just spoke softly. "You will stay out here with the other women until I've decided how safe it is for you inside. Rebekah and Sage will make sure the witch doesn't try anything funny."

Caroline was taken aback at the order, but found herself pulled away from him as the men disappeared behind the other door. Despite the anger that rose within her at the thought that she would most likely be left out of the decision, she couldn't stop Rebekah and Sage from seating her at the same side table as Elena was at as they glared at the witch furiously.

"Can I help you?" Bonnie snapped, returning their looks with a fierce one of her own. Magic made the air spark around her, as if she were setting the dust particles in air on fire for brief moments at a time. There seemed to be power swirling in her eyes, making even the Original sister's hair stand on the back of her neck.

But Rebekah's discomfort didn't last long. Her vampire face came out, fangs and all, the black veins beneath her eyes pulsing as she took a threatening step towards the witch. "I don't know who you think you are, but this is my home and I am an Original! You will show me respect no matter whose witch bloodline you come from!" the vampire hissed. Though they needed Bonnie for their plan to come to fruition, it didn't stop Rebekah from so obviously hating the powerful young witch.

But Bonnie wasn't backing down either and she stood her ground even as her hands clenched at her sides. "I didn't come here because I felt I owed you anything. Elena needs to be protected and she's my friend; I'm helping _her_, not you." She turned to her friend, giving her a bland look that didn't let any of her feelings show through. "I don't know why you are going to them for help; I'm sure I could make Katherine immobile long enough for Damon and Stefan to take her down themselves."

"Bonnie," Elena said, almost pleadingly as all attention turned on her, "you know that she's got that…vampire hunter with her. And we don't know if you're strong enough to stop them both without hurting yourself. If we get the Originals on our side, you can focus on the vampire hunter and Katherine will be easy for them." She glanced uncomfortably at the older women in the room, eyes wide in what might have been fear.

Because Rebekah and Sage had gone white at the mention of a vampire hunter. It was as if all the blood had drained from their faces at the mere mention of such a man.

"Mikael might not be—"

In the span of time it took to blink, Rebekah had Bonnie slammed against the wall with her hand wrapped around the dark-skinned girl's throat. As Bonnie choked, Rebekah shook her like a ragdoll, snarling, "What the hell does that mean? Mikael? Is that the vampire hunter?" She dropped the shocked Bonnie to the ground, turning with fangs flashing on Elena. "If you led Mikael to us, you little bitch, I swear I'll—ah!" She broke off, holding her temples as if in terrible pain as she dropped to her knees on the pristine floor.

Bonnie was standing behind her, a furious look in her eyes as she chanted quietly under her breath. Her gaze was mad, going insane, as she stared down at the prone Original.

"Bonnie, stop!" Elena cried, rushing towards her friend with her arms out, looking her head into her shoulder to break the line of sight as Sage dropped down beside her quickly recovering sister-in-law. The brunette stroked the witch's head comfortingly, whispering soothingly in her ear, "Close off the voices, Bonnie. We can't hurt them. We have to explain this to them; it's obvious they might know something more about Mikael than we do."

Caroline stood, moving to rub Bonnie's back in comfort, as well. "How about something to drink? We'll just discuss what's going on and talk it out. How's that sound?"

Glancing up at her, brown eyes that grew lighter each moment caught sympathetic green ones. A small nod had Caroline smiling softly and leading the witch as if she were frail to the table. With a silent warning to keep Rebekah off Bonnie sent to Sage, Caroline disappeared and quickly came back with some lemonade from the fridge, as well as some glasses.

Pouring a cup for Bonnie first, Caroline let Elena sit before taking a seat herself; she couldn't deny her Miss Mystic Falls training years before. Etiquette could cover even the tensest situations, as long as it was genuine and had no ulterior motive. That was what she believed, at least.

"So, Bonnie, Elena," she said diplomatically, drawing upon her inner Elijah to be kind and polite, "can you tell Rebekah and Sage what you know about Mikael? I think it might be pretty important if that was their reaction to it."

The pair glanced at each other, but it was the doppelganger that spoke. "I…well, it's a long story. Katherine apparently met up with an ancient vampire hunter—we heard that he might even be as old as the Originals—because she's trying to get rid of them—you."

Rebekah's eyes were fiery even as Sage's filled with tears of fear. It was the redhead that stood, however, breathing, "He is an Original. He's their father." She glanced down at her sister-in-law, sniffling. "He was hunting us until he was locked away by several of our witches. He…he wants every vampire dead, including himself, in the end."

Caroline didn't let the silence hang for long as the information sank in. Instead, she said, "But that still doesn't explain what part in this I have or Elena. She told Nik and I that it was to get rid of Nik's precious doppelganger, but I don't think she would have thrown me into the mix if that were the case. Something is definitely going on."

"Too bad the boys aren't paying any intention to us, just having their macho wars in the other room," Rebekah added, though her voice wasn't as strong as it had been. "Otherwise we could all work out a plan of action."

"We don't need the boys for that," Caroline interjected, a devious smile crossing over her features. "They probably won't work anyways; when do they ever? We'll come up with something that we think will work and they'll follow our lead for once." She looked to Bonnie, reaching out a hand to take hers. Squeezing it, she said softly, "I've heard that magic—especially powerful magic—is incredibly hard on the body. But do you think that you could save some up to make it easier? If we're talking about taking down the Original Daddy and the Slut Doppelganger, we might need a lot of juice from this outlet."

Bonnie nodded. "If I keep up my health and don't use as much magic, I should be able to hold them so that someone can take them down. It won't be more than a few minutes no matter how much I 'charge up' but it should be enough."

Smiling, the baby vampire turned to Sage. "We're going to need a little distraction to get the boys to help out the right way. It's going to be you and Elena, I'm afraid. But we're going to need a bit of magic from Bonnie, unfortunately."

The women openly stared at her, but she just gave them a toothy smile. "I promise, this is going to work. We just need to get to Katherine and Mikael—with the boys close behind. If they're pissed, that'll be even better."

-.-.-.-.-

"That's quite enough, Kol," Elijah interjected, moving quickly to stand between his youngest brother and the eldest Salvatore. "We want their help, not their anger. They know more about Katerina than we do."

Klaus sat in his chair, feet crossed on top of the table as his arms did the same over his chest. He hated this _planning_. After everything Katherine had done to Caroline, he wanted her dead. He wanted her to die painfully and at his hands. He wanted Caroline to get her revenge for the hurt deep within her at the knowledge that she wasn't necessary, that she was expendable. The fact that Katherine had thrown that in was enough for Klaus to want her dead.

After everything, he just wanted to find a cozy cottage in the country and settle there with Caroline, where nothing and no one could bother them. He couldn't get a moment alone with her and that would need to change soon. He was sick of the drama, sick of the worry and the constant looking over their shoulders for someone after her. He wanted to see her dancing in a field, smiling without any shadows behind her eyes. Her beautiful hair shining in the sunlight, eyes glittering with mirth.

Was that too much to ask?

A sudden crash in the other room—Jesus, they'd left the women in there for over an hour and a half!—had them all standing and flying out the door, finding….

Katherine.

She stood over Sage's shuddering form, smirking darkly at them. Though a part of the hybrid noted that her eyes weren't right, her voice purred out to them. "Catch me if you can, boys; I'll just take your women with me for now." She disappeared before any of them could move, escaping through the door.

That was when the men realized that all of the women had been taken. There were blood stains on the floor and it reeked of vampire, human, and witch.

"She…she took them…even Rebekah. Mikael…helped," Sage breathed as she clutched her stomach. Finn dropped to his knees beside her, opening his wrist for her to drink heartily.

Just as the first time she'd disappeared, Klaus's heart stopped. He'd lost her.

And this time he might not get her back.

_This isn't my best chapter. But there's more to come! And, because of the wait, this chapter is longer, so please forgive me!_


	15. Grace Kelly

_I had no idea that I had gone this long without updating! I am sooooo sorry to all my wonderful alerters/favoriters/reviewers! PLEASE DON'T HATE ME!  
To make up for the procrastination on my part, here is an extra long chapter! I hope you all like it!_

Chapter Fifteen

_I could be wholesome,  
I could be loathsome._

Klaus slammed Sage savagely up against the wall by her neck, his fangs bursting from his lips as he stopped trying to control himself.

Katherine had not only taken her doppelganger, but also a powerful witch, an Original, and another vampire; something wasn't right and he could sense that. The wolf part of him was roaring in fury, knowing that there was subterfuge afoot. There was no way that _Mikael_ would sully his hands without at least a half-hearted attempt at his bastard son. And Klaus was not so stupid as to be led around by sight rather than knowledge.

"You will tell me, Sage, _exactly_ what happened," Klaus snarled in her face even as he shoved Finn's attempt at him away with his free arm. He had no problem warding off his brother's advances, not in the mood he was in. Bloodthirst and revenge went hand in hand and he was nothing if not persistent.

Clutching at his hand, trying to pry it away so she could breathe in a desperate amount of oxygen, Sage croaked, "It…was Mikael and…Katherine. They…took them. All of them."

"You're _lying_," he growled lowly, hand tightening around her throat. Sure, he had no problem with his brother's woman in the past, had found her acceptable purely because she had kept Finn's nose out of his business, but nothing would stop him from retrieving Caroline and Rebekah. Nothing would stop him from gaining every bit of information necessary to ensure their safety. "I have half a mind to rip your head from your shoulders for this!"

And he would. Everyone in the room knew it. Though Elijah and Kol knew better than to do much else but try to reason with him, they were poised in anticipation of his next move, ready to jump in should Klaus's attack start leaning towards fatal.

Sage frantically tried to shake her head, but he would have none of that. Unfortunately, she was on vervain so he couldn't simply compel the information out of her.

Ah, but to go back to the old ways once again would be a pleasant trip down memory lane.

"You know," he murmured, his voice too quiet for any but a vampire to hear, "I have been known to take away spouses and significant others in the past. In fact, my personal favorite threat is to kill everyone someone has ever met." He gave a sinister smirk as his hold on her loosened. "It gets the point across when I start taking them out, one by one."

She knew where he was going with it by the implications of his words. She was a nine-hundred-year-old vampire; there was only one person she particularly cared to protect.

Showing her all his bright white, sharp teeth, Klaus muttered, "Tell me the truth about what happened or I will dagger Finn and throw his body into the ocean. I will go to the Mariana Trench specifically so you will have a _very_ hard time getting him out." When her eyes widened and her mouth formed an inaudible _no_, his smirk only grew, his hold on her dropping completely. "Glad we understand each other. Now please, tell me _exactly _what is going on. And make it quick; it seems we are going on a trip immediately."

-.-.-.-.-

"Are you okay?" Caroline asked, crouching down beside Rebekah as the Original regained her breath. One hand on the other blonde's back, the baby vampire tried to give as much comfort as she could. "I know the spell took a lot out of you; are you sure you don't want to stop for the night?"

Rebekah—who had decided to go along with Caroline's plan almost immediately after hearing it—had willing let Bonnie transfer her supernatural prowess to Elena. All they'd had to do was give the doppelganger a Katherine makeover and she was set to go. Unfortunately, the spell had taken a lot out of both the Original and the witch, something they hadn't planned on. Bonnie had warned them that it might not work the exact way that they had hoped it would, but no one had expected to be down that kind of power.

When they'd landed in Atlanta—they'd had to take a commercial plane rather than a Mikaelson jet; Rebekah was furious—Caroline had hoped that everyone would be better, that they would be back to normal after the flight.

But Rebekah still hadn't regained her stamina and Bonnie was looking worse for wear. They would have to stop soon; otherwise their little diversion to get the men to follow them would be for naught. Bonnie couldn't even conjure up a cloaking spell to put up the pretense of them being kidnapped and they couldn't expect her to do much more magic when they would have to take down both Katherine and Mikael in the near future.

"I'm fine," Rebekah croaked, sounding as if she had gone days without water. "I can still go on."

But Caroline knew her too well; the amount of walking they'd done was too much for her still-weak body. They couldn't lose her strength; what if something went wrong? They would need her help to get the two mortals out of harm's way and back to safety.

Elena stepped forward then, saying, "No, you're not okay. None of us are. Bonnie doesn't even have the power to light a candle, much less protect all of us if someone comes. We need to find somewhere to stop for the night."

Cutting the doppelganger a hard look, Rebekah rose shakily to her feet, hissing, "I am not nearly as fragile as you _mortals_. I am an Original and the only reason I am here on this fool's errand is to protect Caro, not because I particularly care for you!" Stumbling two steps to go nose to nose with Elena, she snarled, "Do not _ever_ insult me by suggesting that I need or want protection; I am more powerful than anyone but my brothers on this planet and you will show me respect!"

As the two squared off, Bonnie and Caroline came forward, pushing themselves between the two. Elena and the witch were silent, just watching the two vampires with a certain amount of distrust and disgust.

Gnashing her teeth, Rebekah shouted, "You came to _us_ for help, not the other way around! One way or another, we will _kill_ the Petrova bitch and my father! Your help is not required nor do we ask for it!" Tears were filling the blonde's eyes as she replaced her hurt with fury. Her entire body seemed to vibrate with the need to get past her friend and tear apart the others.

However, Caroline wouldn't let that happen. Despite any differences that had arisen during their brief time together, she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she allowed Rebekah to kill either the doppelganger or the witch. "Bekah, it's all right," she murmured low, trying to calm the Original. "We can always kill them later, but we can never bring them back. We _want_ their help so no one has to get hurt or lose their life over this. They'll be gone once we have everything under control."

Swinging her head to the other vampire, Rebekah's eyes narrowed dangerously, her furious disbelief shining like a beacon there. "Are you…are you taking _their_ side? Over _mine_?"

"Never," Caroline said truthfully and without hesitation, knowing that if it came down to Rebekah or the others, she would choose the blonde in a heartbeat. "But we don't want to lose anyone in this fight with Mikael. If he is as tough as you told me he is, then we need Bonnie's power and Elena's distraction. We can't lose a part of the family because we lost some comrades." As Rebekah noticeably calmed at that, Caroline turned her attention to the others. "We have to work together. Fighting isn't an option right now. We're working towards a goal and we have to keep it up, all right?"

Rebekah glanced back at her friend, searching her face as if trying to find any sign of a lie. Having already grown used to such distrust from the Original family, Caroline stood her ground, letting the honest truth shine on her face.

Comforted by what she saw, the Original gave a curt nod before turning back to their companions. "The _only_ reason you are still alive is because Caro has taken a strange liking to you." Blue eyes narrowing, she hissed, "Mark my words; leave her good side and you will not only have _me_ to deal with. My brothers will rain hellfire on you the likes of which you have never known." Then, as if she had never made such a dark threat, Rebekah turned to Caroline, saying loftily, "I think we should definitely find a place to stay. However, I will _not_ be going to a Motel 6 or anything of that sort; understood?"

Caroline was about to answer that they sure as hell weren't about to find a Ritz out in the middle of the boonies, but a sudden cry of pain from her friend cut her off short.

When Rebekah dropped to her knees, fingernails clawing at her skin as if it were the part paining her, Caroline followed her down, trying to find out what was happening.

"Watch out!" Elena called, catching the baby vampire's attention as something hard was swung at her face, launching her into a nearby tree with back-breaking force. In her dazed state, she hardly heard the doppelganger frantically trying to help the witch gain enough momentum to start a spell.

Through her disoriented vision, Caroline could clearly make out the form of a man, a dart gun in his hand. So they'd injected Rebekah with something? When he turned it towards the younger blonde, she couldn't suppress a whimper of distress as her limbs failed to follow her instructions to lift.

She _hurt_ and it was about to get infinitely worse.

Clenching her eyes shut, she listened to the sound of fighting around her. She could clearly hear Bonnie hiss, "Let her go!" No doubt the man with the gun hadn't been alone and now his comrade had Elena. The witch was going to protect her friend, Caroline knew, but she wouldn't have much power over a human.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa; what'd you do to my little sister? I know she can be a bit mean sometimes, but that doesn't mean you should just shoot her whenever!"

_Kol_, Caroline thought, her eyes cracking open as her discomfort came to a stop. She would have recognized that snarky, cocky voice anywhere. But how had he found them? How did he know that they would be in the States when they hadn't left a trace?

And, if he was there, did that mean that Klaus was coming up quick?

Catching sight of the youngest male Original, she breathed a sigh of relief when he simply jerked the gun from the man, waving it like it was a baseball bat. "Oh, this will do," she heard him murmur. She knew what was coming next, couldn't stop watching as Kol swung for the fences—with the man's head as his ball.

Suddenly, her vision was blocked by a chest she recognized all too well, two arms coming around her to clutch her to it as the sickening sound of the man's head tearing from his body sounded.

When she flinched, Klaus mumbled, "Shh, love. If we don't kill them, they report back. Can't have anyone knowing that we've all arrived." Despite how…inhuman that statement was, Caroline nodded against him and he pulled away just enough to look down into her eyes. "Oh, and I will be tanning your hide over this fool plan of yours. Don't look so shocked; I have ways of garnering information that you couldn't dream of."

Her eyes wide, she did nothing to stop him as he scooped her off the ground, cradling her against him as he turned back to the others. She saw that all the Originals had shown up, along with the two Salvatores. The men stood shoulder to shoulder—though Elijah held up a Zippo lighter and Damon held a gas can—as they tossed a dozen human men's bodies into a pile, a united front for the first time.

At least, she assumed it was the first time, considering how they all acted with one another.

Kol was the one to glance up at the pair walking towards the makeshift-funeral pyre. "Is our idiotic baby vampire all right?" he mocked in a childish voice. "I mean, hadn't you _planned_ on Mikael having some back up? No? Well, I don't feel bad for you one bit. I hope that landing broke your back." He was lying, she knew, because there was a light of concern flashing briefly in his eyes even as he tried to comfort Rebekah.

Stepping forward, Stefan said, "Why did you think that forcing us to follow after you was a good plan?" He glanced over at Elena, who sat on the ground with Bonnie tending to her, before he murmured, "Someone could have died."

"I think it had more to do with making us a united cavalry coming after them," Elijah answered easily. "They weren't planning on going too far, remember, before they let us catch up." He moved to stand next to Kol, who was preparing to simply knock Rebekah out until the pain stopped. "But I believe we were trying to find shelter for the night. We can strategize in the morning."

Damon rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. The light of the fire brought out the sharp features of his face, giving him an almost broken look. It lasted for only a second, but Caroline could make it out perfectly, even before he spoke. "I am _not_ sharing a room with any of you Originals. Ever."

Kol mocked Damon's pose, mocking, "Afraid I'll kill you in your sleep? Good. After that stunt you pulled after the moon landing with the fireworks—"

"That was an accident, just like I told—"

Elijah shook his head, bending down to scoop up their prone little sister, turning to Klaus. "I'll get Rebekah back to the cars. I'm sure we can find a place to sleep tonight without much trouble." Returning his attention to all the others that surrounded them, he said, "We need to leave. There's no telling how many of them are still scouting this area, so I think it best we drive for awhile."

"You go ahead," Klaus said suddenly as everyone began shuffling towards where they'd no doubt parked the cars. "I saw a little motel down the road; Caroline and I will stay there."

As the others either nodded or shot them knowing looks, Klaus leaned down so that only Caroline would hear what he had to add. "You and I are going to be _discussing_ this little _scheme_ you cooked up that nearly got you killed."

_So, a lot of you have been asking for a darker Klaus. I've gotten PMs and such about it, so I thought you guys might like this. _


	16. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right

_As most of you know by now, I've had a very hectic last few months, but I'm getting back into the swing of things. I hope you can all forgive me and will enjoy this chapter! It's my special present to everyone (since it was supposed to be posted on Christmas)! _

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own Vampire Diaries.

Chapter Sixteen

_You could have done better  
but I don't mind._

Angry silence. Tense silence. Disturbing silence.

Klaus said nothing as he drove them towards the motel and Caroline couldn't shake the feeling that she was in for some of that rumored fury he housed within him. But she wasn't entirely sure; he had been so calm with her before, his voice light. She couldn't be _that_ upset, right? Everyone on their side had come out all right and that meant something, didn't it?

Glancing beneath her lashes at him from the passenger seat, she tried to catch any signs that would hint towards whatever was going on in his mind.

The most telling was the fact that he wasn't talking to her. He hadn't said a word to her since leaving his siblings behind and he didn't seem to be changing that anytime soon. Obviously, he was either content with the quiet or he didn't know what to say.

But there were other physical signs that pointed to yes, he most certainly was furious. She suspected that if he clenched his jaw any tighter it would simply snap in two. His fingers were taking a particular beating as they held the steering wheel in a death grip that could threaten his deposit for the rental car.

And, if all that weren't enough, she recognized the dangerous look in his eyes from the first argument they'd had, back at the ball what felt like a century ago. It was something that had sent others scurrying away, terrified by the mere thought of such a fearsome rage. Yet she brought it out of him and, as she thought more about his hide-away-the-females strategy, _she_ grew angry.

How dare he assume that she needed to be locked away, like some kind of medieval maiden that couldn't make a decision for herself! She was a big girl; she could handle herself. She knew when her limit was reached. She wasn't some kind of idiot that would push her body until it gave out. Her fight or flight decision maker was still in tact, had only gotten better since she became a vampire.

Especially with all the crazy things that had happened to her in the past year. She'd been on her own for a very long time, all the while not completely understanding her new…species. Instead, she'd adapted, learning how to keep herself alive all on her own.

Had he forgotten that? Did he think that she'd just holed herself up somewhere until she'd heard about the ball his family had held?

So she stewed over these facts, no longer caring how he felt about the whole thing. Her plan—though it had gone slightly awry, something she would be the first to admit—had worked like a charm. The Originals and Salvatores realized that they all had to work _together_ and that was all that mattered. No one had been seriously or fatally injured when it went a little off-schedule, so it was perfect in her mind.

Once they pulled into the motel parking lot, she couldn't contain herself any more. Turning on him, she said as monotonously as possible, "You know, if you guys had just put aside your differences, we could have all worked this out together. Instead, you left us womenfolk to be the logical ones while you men went off posturing in your fancy meeting room."

Okay, so monotonous wasn't going to work. Yes, there was quite a bit of bite in her words, making sure that he knew how little she thought of how he and the others had acted.

But Klaus wasn't one to back down from a fight, especially one where he felt that he was completely in the right. "Love," he replied in a too-light tone, as someone might talk to an ornery toddler, "you could have gotten _killed_; Rebekah was actually _hurt._ There's nothing here to make light of." He spared her only the shortest of glances, a small, patronizing grin on his mouth. "So why don't you sit back and give me a chance to calm down before I tell you _exactly_ what I think of your little trip?"

He slammed his door open, sticking his legs out one at a time to calmly step onto the splitting asphalt. There was a too-sweet smile on his face as he moved into the lobby, talking kindly and with a no-doubt superb excuse on the tip of his tongue for stopping in so late.

So when he got back into the car, pulling it out to drive them to the farthest edge of the property where their room was found, she let loose immediately, despite the seconds-long drive.

"Don't you _ever_ talk to me like I'm some sort of child that needs to be reprimanded for drawing on the walls!" she shrieked, even as he once more flung open the driver-side door to step out. Following after him, she forced her way out as well, adding in a furious shout, "Don't you walk away from me! I'm not finished with you yet!"

He ignored her, though she wouldn't let that continue for long. Instead, she threw herself after him, catching him by the arm just as he opened the door to their room. Of course, she hardly expected to be able to turn him around by her own power, but when he simply shrugged her hand away she lost it. Completely.

With a fearsome shriek posing as her battle cry, she leapt onto his back, catching him off guard and knocking them both to the ground. Though he had landed on his stomach with her knees on either side of him, Klaus instantly flipped to his back beneath Caroline, grabbing her to switch their positions.

As he crouched over her, all the smirks and patronizing glances were lost. His eyes were narrowed as darkness invaded them, changing the color from their usual blue to the yellow-gold hue of the wolf residing within him. His fangs had grown thicker and longer, bursting out of his mouth as his lips lifted in a snarl. She was a little stricken by such ferocity on his features, but she didn't let it hold her back.

I mean, honestly, she'd seen a look like that on his face more than enough to not care anymore.

Raising her hands to rest them against his shoulders, she shoved at him, growling, "Don't try to push me around! You might be the Badass Hybrid, but I won't let you treat me like some kind of doll!" When his hands simply pinned her wrists to the floor, she added in a snarl, "Let go of me, you idiot!"

"You could have died!" he roared furiously, fingers wrapping around her wrists to pin them to the floor. He leaned over her, his face mere inches from hers and she could finally see the telltale sign of true terror in his eyes. Desperation bled through his every movement, as if nothing had ever been clearer. "You just ran off into danger like your life doesn't mean anything! Have you ever thought a plan through in your entire life?!"

"Excuse me?!" she replied, fighting against his hold on her. "Seriously? You were acting like a child! What else was I supposed to do, wait for you all to go at this from ten different directions?! What would that have accomplished?!"

As his face returned to normal, he snapped his teeth lightly in her face. "We would have figured something out! Besides, we don't need to work with the Scooby Gang to solve some sort of mystery! My family and I are _Originals_; who could truly take us on?"

"God, would you grow up? Everyone needs help now and then, even the Big And Bads. Could you please just try to see why we had to bring you guys here?"

"You didn't _bring_ us here! We had to follow after you because you're all _idiots_!"

Okay, enough was enough. If he was going to talk to her that way, she was going to give him a taste of his own medicine. He wanted to play dirty? She could keep up with him every step of the way.

Without telegraphing her next move, she shoved her knee up, catching him in the stomach hard enough to knock the wind out of him. In the brief moment of his recovery, she rolled out from beneath him and to her feet. Finally all those action movies she'd gone to see in her life meant something.

As he came to stand just feet from her, she didn't back down, kept herself poised and ready for an attack. She watched carefully as he sized her up, expecting him to come flying at her at any moment. And the best offense was a good defense.

They stood there, huffing and puffing for a few solid minutes, before Klaus straightened, raising an eyebrow at her. "Do you really want to square off with me, love? Are you sure about that?"

It was her turn to give him a condescending grin. "Oh, don't worry, _love_; I can handle myself just fine. You might be older than me, but I doubt you're as slippery as I am."

"You'll regret that, sweetheart."

In that instant, he disappeared, but she easily predicted his next move. Tucking and rolling, she was back on her feet at the end of the bed as he stood where she had just been seconds before, watching her with a small amount of pride in his gaze. That was, however, overshadowed by the superiority there, but, hey, she would take what she could get.

She knew that she couldn't keep this up forever, but that didn't mean that she had to give up without a fight.

When he flew towards her, though, she only dodged him by the hair on her chiny-chin-chin. As she twisted and turned to escape his reaching fingers, she felt the air moving from his grasp closing just above or beside her. They were moving too quickly to be seen by any human, graceful and silent. His lunges were met by her parries for an amount of time that had Caroline practically blushing with pride.

But she had no way of knowing that he was actually maneuvering her to exactly where he wanted her. Klaus was a master strategist; he could see someone else's moves before they even planned them out.

So, when they finally took a short break, she found herself standing on the bed, near the headboard, as he watched her from the door to their dingy little bathroom. Her hair was in disarray, the curls manic and poofing out. Chest heaving with each breath, she stood as still as possible, keeping her eyes locked on him.

There was something primal in the way he was holding himself, watching her from his spot like he wanted to jump her.

Of course, whether it was to tackle her for disobeying or for a whole not-so-new reason was impossible to know, not that she particularly minded either possibility. There was a part of her that wanted to continue the fight, wanting to take him down a peg or two. But there was also the side of her that just wanted to finally have what they hadn't been able to before. Maybe she just wanted some rough, angry sex.

When his gaze narrowed on her in a weirdly tense way, she felt that spark, that instant recognition within her body. She would blame the fact that she didn't try to jump away when he moved towards her on his speed. She would pretend that she had still been furious with him.

It would help to explain the claw marks on his back later.

-.-.-.-.-

Klaus didn't bother with words. Not that his tongue could have worked in a way to correctly form any.

Something had snapped within him after finding Caroline surrounded by Mikael's little army of mortals who were more than prepared to kill her. He'd left the fighting to the others, needing to hold and protect her. Though he didn't like to admit it, the thought of losing her was enough to cripple him.

He didn't bother to wonder how it happened in the short time they had together. There were no excuses, no plausible reasons. He just…did. Needing her had become an essential part of survival and—not for the first time—he'd been so close to losing her. Forever.

But he wouldn't let that happen. He would never let her leave him—no matter how she begged or pleaded.

So, when he'd known she was safe in his arms, he'd gotten angry. Who wouldn't? But it was a different kind of anger, one that was just as much relief as fury. The feeling was a strange one, something that he'd never felt before. Knowing that she was safe weighed just as much as the realization of her nearly-fatal plan on the scales in his mind.

He hadn't wanted to argue, hadn't wanted to fight. Instead, he had hoped that she would let him regain control over his emotions before demanding he speak up. Of course, that hadn't happened; he should have known as much. She had pushed him and pushed him until the wolf rushed to the surface, taking control.

He'd shouted in her face after pinning her to the ground. She wasn't without blame; knocking him flat wasn't the most self-preserving thing she'd ever done. It had immediately sent adrenaline and testosterone pumping through him, making him want to tie her down on the bed just to know that she couldn't do anything so stupid ever again.

And that had led to less-than-innocent thoughts.

Now, as he laid over her once again—thankfully this time on an actual _bed_—he could do nothing but stare at her for the longest second of his life. Her eyes were alight with green fire, staring into his with strength and poise…and maybe a little lust.

How was he expected to resist her? She was a temptress in the truest sense of the word. She tempted him from everything he'd ever believed in, showing him a new way to the world that was surprisingly comforting. Where he had once thought that love was a weakness, he now knew that it wasn't the case. It was pushing him to new places that he had never thought existed.

As her arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders, however, those thoughts were put on hold; now was a time to feel, not think.

With a growl, he dropped his mouth to hers, forgetting about the rest of the world for just a little while. They could deal with everything later.

Much, much later because he had no intention of letting reality invade anytime in the near future.

_I know, I know! It took me far too long to update and then I tease you guys. :P_

_Well, I decided that this story would remain a hard-tease T. It's just kind of…nice not to have a story that's all about the smut. Not saying anyone that reads my stuff is just after smut, but it's nice to have a story that's a little more innocent than that._

For information on updates, spoilers, and for any questions you have, contact me on my tumblr! Cecevolume dot tumblr dot com. :D


	17. This Is War

_Okay, it's been awhile. T.T But this announcement is to tell you that the end is nigh! Three chapters left after this one.  
I just want to thank everyone who reads this story and leaves me those wonderful reviews and encouragement. You guys are awesome and I hope you'll stick around for my next story!_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Vampire Diaries.

Chapter Seventeen

_To the solider, the civilian, the martyr, the victim,  
this is war._

Caroline awoke with a lazy stretch as sunlight streamed in through the slit between the curtains. The warm body next to hers let out a low groan, wrapping an arm around her before flipping them both over. She tried not to giggle at Klaus's indiscernible mutters of protest, but couldn't help herself. Despite everything that had been happening in the world around them, she was happy, even if it was just because he was curled up around her, trying to ward off waking.

Snickering, she began sliding out from his hold, intending to get dressed so they weren't interrupted with their pants down. Literally.

But he was having none of that. His arms tightened around her at the last second, yanking her close to him. As she cried out with shock and glee, his eyes flashed open, a smirk breaking out on his face. "Did you really think that last night was enough?" he murmured huskily. "I've got plans for you."

As his mouth descended to her neck, she giggled and squirmed, knowing that it was useless. "Nik, the others are probably coming for us. Do I have to remind you why we're all here in the first place?" She knew forcing him to recall the events of the last few days would be like tossing them both into a bucket of ice water, but she also didn't want them to lose sight of what was hanging over their heads. Once they got rid of the threat of Mikael, they could continue this. They'd have all of eternity to do so.

Flinging himself away with a growl, Klaus muttered, "You certainly know how to ruin a mood, love." He laid there for a second, eyeing her as she moved to her clothes before breathing a curse. "You're right, though; once I kill that bastard, you and I can go back to London and finish what we started."

In the process of pulling on her jeans, Caroline glanced over at him, sensing something in his words. "Do you mean to tell me that I'm not going with?" she asked suspiciously, zipping up her fly before reaching for her discarded bra. "You do realize we stand a better chance with more people on our side, right?"

"Not we, sweetheart. Just me. And my siblings and those idiotic Salvatores. I won't be bringing you into the middle of a war you wouldn't stand a chance in," he replied, pulling on his own jeans. He caught her gaze as it narrowed, not looking the bit ashamed. Jaw setting in a hard line, he growled, "You aren't going to be a part of a suicide mission, Caroline; I won't allow it. I can't protect you when we're out there."

Yanking her shirt over her head furiously, she shouted, "I don't need protection! I can help, even if it's just keeping the small fry off your back!" Seeing that her argument wasn't affecting him in the least, she added, "You need someone to watch out for you and your siblings are going to have their hands full with their own battles! Why can't you just accept that I can do something other than be a damsel in distress?" She knew that she was pushing him, but she was done with this, with everyone believing that she was just another girl without the strength to protect herself.

She was a vampire; she had strength, speed, and cunning on her side. Had any of the others ever been a debutante? Then they didn't understand how to strategize as well as she did.

"I said _no_, Caroline. End of argument," he snarled, turning away from her to pull his shirt over his head. "Now, you are going to stay here until I come back for you—"

"And _I _said no, _Klaus_," she hissed angrily. Stomping towards the door, she threw over her shoulder, "I'm going and that's that. Don't think you get to boss me around just because we slept together—"

"Oh, give it a rest; you have no idea what you're up against—"

"Of course I do! I've been up against Katherine before—"

The argument—however choppy it might have been—was cut off when the door to their room cracked and splintered, light bursting in blindingly. For a second, all they could do was shield their eyes from the intrusion. Then the figure in the doorway came into focus.

Almost the same height as Klaus, the man that stood there had sandy-blonde hair and malicious, dark eyes. He wore a dark suit and a frightening smile before he spoke low as if he didn't want to be overheard. "Hello, _Niklaus_."

Just those two words, that one simple phrase, told Caroline that she was staring at Mikael, father of the Originals. Despite what she'd heard about him, she couldn't help the surprise that came over her. In all the stories she'd heard as a child, the bad guys were easy to pick out. They were dirty, scarred, and rude. They slouched and spit and were just generally disgusting.

But Mikael could have passed for a model; in another life, he might have even been attractive.

The monster in front of her, however, was not handsome. He wasn't appealing. He just looked angry and _dangerous_—not in the same sense as his children.

Before Klaus could do more than growl, Mikael was in the room, his arm around Caroline's neck. "I would be careful with what you say, boy; isn't this your little vampire lover? Would you really want her to overhear what we have to say to each other?"

Lip lifting, Klaus snarled, "Let her go; she has nothing to do with this!" He started to move forward, but Mikael dragged Caroline a step back, tsking at his son as if he were telling him not to have a cookie before dinner. The blonde could see the flash of fear in the hybrid's face, knew what he would say before it left his lips. "Please just…don't hurt her!"

"Oh, I'm definitely going to enjoy this," Mikael chuckled to the younger man before glancing down at Caroline's wide eyes. "Do you hear that? The boy who thinks he's the most powerful being on the planet is _begging_. I should have him go to his knees before I listen to him," he added with a speculative glance up at the hybrid that bore his name.

To the vampire captive watching the hybrid's movements—Klaus going to his knees in front of her without hesitation, moving slowly into a pitiful position—this was the beginning of the end. True fear filled her. Because he was honestly terrified for her life. But her fear wasn't meant for herself—she had died once before. It was for the man that she loved, practically offering his neck in place of hers. He would rather die than watch her do so.

And that just might drive her crazy.

"Nik…don't," she breathed even as Mikael's arm tightened to quiet her. She could feel her windpipe start to bend, threatening to snap. Soon, she would pass out, not to wake until Mikael had done whatever he'd come to do.

"Listen to your woman, boy; I should have." The elder vampire's voice was now little more than an animalistic snarl, as if his thoughts were tormenting him into madness. "If I had, you would have died a long time ago. Your mother warned me that you would be nothing but a disappointment, that you should have been killed just after Henrik. Perhaps she would still be alive today if I had paid attention to what she'd been saying."

Confusion invaded Caroline's panic. What did his mother have to do with this? What did it matter, anyways?

Hard eyes catching his father's, Klaus said, "Mother is dead because she tried to kill me. What makes you think that you will be any different, Mikael? We have no familial connection; I won't hesitate to destroy you like I did with her."

Wait…Mikael wasn't Klaus's father?

The vampire in question laughed easily at the hybrid, his arm crushing her neck with a quick flex of his muscles. As she fell to the floor, feeling herself "dying", she heard him say, "Oh, but you don't have the power to do that, do you, boy?"

-.-.-.-.-

Caroline awoke for the second time that day lying in a heap, grass brushing against her face. Her hands were behind her back, twisted into an agonizingly painful position. The edges of the restraints bit into her wrist, even going so far as to draw blood that she could smell, the coppery scent making her mouth water with thirst.

Blinking her eyes open, she saw that they were in a denser part of the forest; little light could shine through the thick ceiling of leaves above them. The clearing she'd been placed in had a diameter about the length of two Carolines. From where she lay on the edge, it was easy to see into the trees on the opposite side, despite how thick they were.

But her mind wasn't on the scenery for long. No, because Klaus was thrashing around on the ground across from her, his hands and feet bound with iron chains. He was snarling something up at the man that had done this to them, threatening him with all sort of torture if he didn't release Caroline immediately. His eyes flickered from blue to yellow, his fangs long and ferocious. She could see dried blood on his head, a few wounds in his chest closing before her astonished gaze.

"Your threats don't mean anything to me, boy," Mikael chuckled as he twisted the cap off a flask, waving it around from above. "The only reason you aren't dead yet is because you seem to have led my true children here. And I'd really like them to hear their beloved brother in his death throes. But that doesn't mean I can't inflict as much pain as possible before they get within earshot." Tilting the flask, he dumped fluid over Klaus, smiling maniacally as the skin it touched began to sizzle as if touched with acid. "This mixture is specially made for you, boy. Wolfsbane and vervain for a little extra burn."

As Klaus grunted—refusing to cry out—Caroline's eyes filled with tears and she couldn't hold back any longer. "Stop!" she cried, shifting forward as best as she could while on her side. "Please, just don't hurt him anymore! How can you do this to him?"

Mikael's eyes cut to hers, narrowing before he tossed the flask away. Striding towards her, he muttered, "You don't know who you've been sleeping with, vampire? He killed both his brother and mother without a second thought. My son and wife are dead because he was born a monster!" Crouching down to her level, his hand captured her chin, jerking her face close to his. "Do you know what it's like to lose your child? Do you know what it's like to learn that your wife was unfaithful, that she gave birth to a werewolf's bastard when they were always your sworn enemy?"

Squeezing her jaw too tightly, he drew a gasp out of her. "I will watch him burn for the sins he's committed. Everything that he's done must be atoned for." Shoving her forcefully back to the ground, he stood to his full height once more. "And when I'm done with him, I'll move on to those that have betrayed me by helping him."

"You blame him for being born?" Caroline choked. "Something he couldn't possibly control?"

Mikael glanced back with a twisted smirk. "Of course I will."

The vampire hunter crossed to a tree, ripping off a branch before swinging it between his hands. He turned back to Caroline as he snapped the bottom into a sharp point. Smirking at her wide-eyed expression, he waved it at her, "Now, little vampire, I hope you enjoy the show." In a flash, he was standing over Klaus, shoving the branch through his stomach until even Caroline could see the other side protruding from his back.

As the hybrid gargled up blood, the liquid spilling from his mouth, Caroline sobbed loudly, "No! You have to stop! Please just _stop_!"

Mikael didn't even turn to her before he said plainly, "No. I don't think I will."

Unable to contain the tears, Caroline glanced over at Klaus, watching as he struggled to get his hands to the branch, to remove it from his body. It only caused him to spit up more blood, his eyes catching hers. "I'm sorry," he mouthed through stained teeth, his eyes not fearful but…sad. As if he had failed her in some way.

It only made her all the more frantic. As Mikael pulled another branch free, Caroline shouted, "If you hurt him again, I'll never forgive it! I'll find a way to kill you if it's the last thing I do!"

Rage was taking the place of her fear and pain. Never in her life had she threatened someone with death; she had never thought she would be capable of such a thing. But seeing Mikael torturing Klaus so…she knew that she was more than capable, that she could do it. If she was just given the chance, she would see him rot in hell.

The vampire just turned a disinterested glare over his shoulder. "A baby vampire like you? Somehow I doubt that." Raising his voice just slightly, he called out, "Katerina, I know you're out there. Bring me the stake before my children fall upon us."

Eyes wide, Caroline's head swung to the trees behind Mikael, watching as the doppelganger appeared. There was something…off about her, something that wasn't quite right. There was a hole in her shirt, revealing bloodied skin that had already healed over. Her walk was a little sloppy as she strode out of the trees, clearly frightened of the man in front of her as she tried to maneuver the forest in high heels.

But it was her eyes as they slid over to Caroline that caught her off guard. There was a look that comforted the blonde vampire, as if it were telling her, "Everything will be okay."

Mikael glanced over at the newcomer, his eyebrow raised as he took in her appearance. Katherine merely shrugged, saying easily, "Your kids caught up with me; we're just lucky I got away before they could rip my heart out and take the stake." Her eyes turned back to Caroline, now full of boredom. "Why'd you take her? It isn't like she's particularly important in this equation."

"You're the one that told me she was of importance to Niklaus," Mikael answered slowly as he started towards Katherine. "What better torture than to watch the woman he loves tied up and crying out to him to save her as she dies?" He added a little wink at Caroline with that statement, as if to imply he was giving away the ending.

Katherine just looked away, pulling the stake out of her jacket to play with in her hand. Eyes wide as he watched it, Mikael muttered, "Give me the white oak stake; I'm tired of this game."

The doppelganger simply gave him a smirk, saying, "No," just as the forest around them erupted with movement. Caroline could clearly make out Elijah ripping apart Klaus's bonds as Rebekah, Kol, Damon, and Stefan appeared between Katherine and Mikael.

Bonnie, who was magically unlocking Caroline, murmured, "Elena's going to help you out of here; it isn't safe until Mikael is dead."

"No," Caroline answered. "I won't leave Nik behind." She stood shakily, watching as Mikael fought off all those around him, trying to make his way to the pseudo-Katherine—more importantly, the stake.

It was the only thing that would kill his children and he wanted it. There wasn't a doubt in Caroline's mind that they were all in very real danger.

_Next chapter is a battle! Hope you all are ready for it. ;)_

Check out my Tumblr for spoilers, updates, schedules, or just to ask me a question! The link is on my page.


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